mi 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
AT   LOS  ANGELES 


H 


I 


l 

If 


; 


/<  •    ~  - 
THE 


MILITARY   JOURNALS 


OF 


PRIVATE   SOLDIERS, 

1  758-1  775, 


WITH 


NUMEROUS   ILLUSTRATIVE  NOTES 


TO  WHICH   IS    ADDED, 


A  SUPPLEMENT, 


CONTAINING 


POUGHKEEPSIE: 
PUBLISHED  BY  ABRAHAM  TOMLINSON, 

AT  THE  MUSEUM. 
1855. 


Entrrrd,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1354, 

BY  ABRAHAM  TOMLWSON, 

In  tho  Clark's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


STBRKOTYPKD    BY   C.   C.   SAVAtiK. 
13  CliRtntxtrn  Stircl.  N.  Y. 


C.   A.    AI.TORD,   PK1VTKR, 
39  GoW  Stre-t,  N.  Y 


TS9 


ADVERTISEMENT, 


HAVING  been,  for  several  years,  engaged  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  Museum  in  Poughkeepsie,  I  have,  by 
extensive  travel  and  research,  and  by  the  kindness  of 
many  of  my  fellow-citizens  in  Dutchess  county  and 
elsewhere,  obtained  numerous  objects,  not  only  curious 
in  themselves,  but  valuable  as  materials  for  history. 
Among  these  are  two  manuscript  Journals,  kept  by  com- 
mon soldiers,  each  during  a  single  campaign,  and  writ- 
ten at  periods  seventeen  years  apart.  One  of  these 
soldiers  served  in  a  campaign  of  the  conflict  known  as 
the  FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR,  which  commenced  a 
hundred  years  ago :  the  other  soldier  assisted  in  the 
siege  of  Boston,  by  the  American  army,  in  1775  and 
1776.  Believing  that  a  faithful  transcript  of  those 
Journals,  given  verbatim  et  literatim,  as  recorded  by 
the  actors  themselves,  might  have  an  interest  for  Amer- 

417204 


6  ADVERTISEMENT. 

ican  readers,  as  exhibiting  the  every-day  life  of  a  com- 
mon soldier  in  those  wars  which  led  to  the  founding 
of  our  republic,  I  have  yielded  to  the  solicitations  of 
friends,  and  the  dictates  of  my  own  judgment  and  feel- 
ings, and  in  the  following  pages  present  to  the  public 
faithful  copies  of  those  diaries. 

Perceiving  that  much  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  these 
Journals  would  consist  in  a  proper  understanding  of 
the  historical  facts  to  which  allusions  are  made  in  them, 
I  prevailed  upon  Mr.  LOSSING,  the  well-known  author 
of  the  ''Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution"  to  illus- 
trate and  elucidate  these -diaries  by  explanatory  notes. 
His  name  is  a  sufficient  guaranty  for  their  accuracy 
and  general  usefulness ;  and  I  flatter  myself  that  this 
little  volume  will  not  only  amuse,  but  edify,  and  that 
the  useful  objects  aimed  at  in  its  publication  will  be 
fully  attained.  With  this  hope,  it  is  submitted  to  my 

fellow-citizens. 

ABRAHAM  TOMLINSON. 

PODGHKERPSIE  MUSEUM,  December,  1854. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS, 


THE  conflict  known  in  America  as  the  French  and 
Indian  War,  and  in  Europe  as  the  Seven  Years'  War, 
originated  in  disputes  between  the  French  and  English 
colonists,  in  the  New  World,  concerning^  territorial  lim- 
its. For  a  century  the  colonies  of  the  two  nations  had 
been  gradually  expanding  a#d  increasing  in  impor- 
tance. The  English,  more  than  a  million  in  number, 
occupied  the  seaboard  from  the  Penobscot  to  the  St. 
Mary's,  a  thousand  miles  in  extent;  all  eastward  of 
the  great  ranges  of  the  Alleganies,  and  far  northward 
toward  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  French,  not  more  than 
a  hundred  thousand  strong,  made  settlements  along  the 
St.  Lawrence,  the  shores  of  the  great  lakes,  on  the 
Mississippi  and  its  tributaries,  and  upon  the  borders  of 
the  gulf  of  Mexico.  They  early  founded  Detroit,  Kas- 
kaskia,  Vincennes,  and  New  Orleans. 

The  English  planted  agricultural  colonies — the 
French  were  chiefly  engaged  in  traffic  with  the  In- 
dians. This  trade,  and  the  operations  of  the  Jesuit 
missionaries,  who  were  usually  the  self-denying  pio- 
neers of  commerce  in  its  penetration  of  the  wilderness, 


8  INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

gave  the  French  great  influence  over  the  tribes  of  a 
vast  extent  of  country  lying  in  the  rear  of  the  English 
settlements. 

The  ancient  quarrel  between  the  two  nations,  origi- 
nating far  back  in  the  feudal  ages,  and  kept  alive  by 
subsequent  collisions,  burned  vigorously  in  the  bosoms 
of  the  respective  colonists  in  America,  where  it  was 
continually  fed  by  frequent  hostilities  on  frontier 
ground.  They  had  ever  regarded  each  other  with  ex- 
treme jealousy,  for  the  prize  before  them  was  supreme 
rule  in  the  New  World.  The  trading-posts  and  mis- 
sionary-stations of  the  French,  in  the  far  Northwest, 
and  in  the  bosom  of  the  dark  wilderness,  several  hun- 
dred miles  distant  from  the  most  remote  settlements 
on  the  English  frontier,  attracted  very  little  attention 
until  they  formed  a  part  of  more  extensive  operations. 
But  when,  after  the  capture  of  Louisburg,  by  the  Eng- 
lish, in  1745,  the  French  adopted  vigorous  measures 
for  opposing  the  extension  of  British  power  in  Amer- 
ica ;  when  they  built  strong  vessels  at  the  foot  of  Lake 
Ontario  —  made  treaties  of  friendship  with  powerful 
Indian  tribes  —  strengthened  their  fort  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Niagara  river — and  erected  a  cordon  of  fortifica- 
tions, more  than  sixty  in  number,  between  Montreal 
and  New  Orleans, — the  English  were  aroused  to  im- 
mediate and  effective  action  in  defence  of  the  territo- 
rial limits  given  them  in  their  ancient  charters.  By 
virtue  of  these,  they  claimed  dominion  westward  to 
the  Pacific  ocean,  south  of  the  latitude  of  the  north 


INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS.  9 

shore  of  Lake  Erie ;  while  the  French  claimed  a  title 
to  all  the  territory  watered  by  the  Mississippi  and  its 
tributaries,  under  the  more  plausible  plea  that  they 
had  made  the  first  explorations  and  settlements  in  that 
region.  The  claims  of  the  real  owner — the  Indian  — 
were  lost  sight  of  in  the  discussion ;  and  it  was  a  sig- 
nificant question  asked  by  an  Indian  messenger  of  the 
agent  of  the  English  Ohio  Company :  "  Where  is  the 
Indian's  land  ?  The  English  claim  it  all  on  one  side 
of  the  river,  and  the  French  on  the  other :  where  does 
the  Indian's  land  lie  ?" 

The  territorial  question  was  brought  to  an  issue 
when,  in  1753,  a  company  of  English  traders  and  set- 
tlers commenced  exploring  the  head-waters  of  the  Ohio. 
The  French  opposed  their  operations  by  force.  George 
Washington  was  sent  by  the  Virginia  authorities  to  re- 
monstrate with  the  French.  It  was  of  no  avail.  The 
English  determined  to  oppose  force  to  force ;  and  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  now-flourishing  city  of  Pittsburg,  in 
western  Pennsylvania,  the  "  French  and  Indian  War" 
began.  Provincial  troops  were  raised,  and  armies  came 
from  England.  Extensive  campaigns  were  planned, 
and  attempts  were  made  to  expel  the  French  from 
Lake  Champlain  and  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  On- 
tario. Finally,  in  1758,  three  armies  were  in  motion 
at  one  time  against  French  posts  remote  from  each 
other  —  Louisburg,  in  the  extreme  east;  Ticonderoga, 
on  Lake  Champlain;  and  Fort  Du  Quesne,  where 
Pittsbursr  now  stands.  General  Sir  James  Abercrom- 


10  INTRODUCTORY    REMARKS. 

bie  commanded  the  expedition  against  Ticonderoga, 
accompanied  by  young  Lord  Howe  as  his  lieutenant. 
The  French  were  under  the  command  of  the  marquis 
Montcalm,  who  was  killed  at  Quebec  the  following 
year.  The  English  and  provincial  troops  rendezvoused 
at  the  head  of  Lake  George,  went  down  that  sheet  of 
water,  attacked  Ticonderoga,  and  were  repulsed  with 
great  loss.  It  was  this  portion  of  that  campaign  in 
which  the  soldier  served  who  kept  the  Journal  given 
in  the  succeeding  pages.  It  is  a  graphic  outline  pic- 
ture, in  few  and  simple  words,  of  the  daily  life  of  a 
common  soldier  at  that  time. 

During  the  campaign  of  1759,  Quebec  was  captured 
by  the  army  under  Wolfe  ;  Lord  Arnherst,  more  suc- 
cessful than  Abercrombie,  drove  the  French  from  Lake 
Champlain ;  Sir  William  Johnson  captured  Fort  Niag- 
ara ;  and  all  Canada  was  in  virtual  possession  of  the 
English,  except  Montreal.  That  fell  early  in  the  Au- 
tumn of  1760 ;  and  the  struggle  for  supremacy  in 
America,  between  the  French  and  English,  was  ended 
for  ever. 

L. 


MILITARY  JOURNAL  FOR  1758. 


• 


«!* 


FAC-SIMILE  OF  A  PORTION  OF  THK  MANUSCRIPT  JOURNAL. 

April  5  1758.  I  Lemuel  Lyon  of  Woodstock  Inlist- 
ed  under  Captain  David  holms  of  Woodstock  in  new- 
ingLand  For  this  present  Cannody  Expordition* — I 
Received  of  Captain  Holms  £2.0s.,0d. 

May  30.  Received  £3,-l6-0. 

June,  2nd.  We  arrived  at  Colonal  Maysons  at  12 
o'Clock  and  marched  from  their  to  Landardj  Abits  & 
Sergent  Stone  treated  us  their  —  then  we  marched  to 
mansfield  to  Deacon  Eldridgs  about  four  o'clock — then 

*  Canada  expedition. 

t  Landlord.  The  proprietor  of  an  inn  or  tavern  was  universally 
culled  landlord.  The  title  is  still  very  prevalent. 


12  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

we  marched  to  Bolton  to  Landard  trils,  and  we  gave 
7d  a  night  for  horse  keeping. 

Wednesday  7th.  We  had  Carts  to  press,* — then  we 
marched  of  from  their  to  Landard  Strengs  in  Harford 
and  from  their  to  Landard  Geds  &  had  raw  Pork  for 
dinner — then  we  marched  to  Landard  Crews  and  the 
Chief f  lodges  their — My  mess  lodged  at  a  private 
house  one  Daniel  Catlins. 

Thursday  8th.  Marched  of  and  arived  at  Landard 
Gessels  and  their  we  went  to  Brecfirst  and  then  we 
marched  from  their  to  our  stores  in  Litchfield^:  to  Squire 
Sheldings  and  then  to  Landard  Buels  and  lodged  their 
and  our  Captain  was  sent  for  to  a  man  in  another  Com- 
pany that  had  fits. 

Friday  9th.  Then  marched  from  their  and  we  had 
nu  teams  presed  their  and  we  arrived  at  Landard 
Hollobuts  in  Goshen  from  their  to  widow  Leggets  in 
Cornwell||  and  from  their  to  Coles  in  Cainan§  &L  lodged 
their. 

Saturday  10th.  Marched  to  Lawrences  and  from 
thence  to  Landard  Bushes  in  Shefield  7  mile  and  went 
to  diner — thence  marched  and  arived  at  one  Garnt  B ur- 
ges and  lodged  their  and  our  Ensign  went  to  Prayer 
with  us— 

*  To  take  carts  for  the  military  service.  Under  martial  law,  any 
private  property  may  be  used  for  the  public  good.  A  just  govern- 
ment always  pays  a  fair  price  for  the  same. 

t  Probably  General  Lyman,  who  was  the  commander-in-chief  of 
the  Connecticut  forces  at  that  time. 

|  In  Litchfield  county,  Connecticut.      ||  Cornwall.      §  Canaan. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  13 

Sonday  llth.  Marched  into  the  Paterroon  Lands* 
to  Landard  Lovejoys  &  went  to  diner  had  a  hard 
shower  then  marched  into  Cantihookf  to  one  Hayer 
Cams  the  Stone  house  &  lodged  their  &  from  thence 
to  Cantihook  Town  to  one  Bushes  and  slept  their. 

Monday  12th.  At  Cantihook. 

Tuesday  13th.  Marched  and  arived  at  the  half  way 
house  in  Albany  &  Bated,  &  then  into  Green  Busht 
by  Son  down  and  lodged  their  in  Ranslays  Barn. 

Wednesday  14th.  Stil  at  Albany  and  their  I  first 
shifted  my  clothes  and  washed  them — then  we  had  6 
rounds  of  powder  &  ball  &,  had  orders  from  Colonel 
Whiting  to  go  to  Senakada||  — this  day  Asel  Carpenter 
came  to  Albany. 

Thursday  15th.  We  went  over  the  River  Early  to 
receive  our  rations  in  provision  and  in  money  and  we 
marched  2  Miles  and  stoped  and  refreshed  ourselves 
their  half  an  hour  and  Lieut.  Smith  came  up  and  we 
received  our  Abilitan  money.§ 

Friday  16th.  We  had  Prayers  in  our  company  at  3 

*  Livingston's  manor,  in  Columbia  county.  The  estates  of  Liv- 
ingston, Van  Rensselaer,  and  others,  who  received  grants  of  land 
from  government,  on  certain  conditions,  in  order  to  encourage  immi- 
gration and  agriculture,  were  called  Patroon  Lands,  and  the  proprie- 
tors were  entitled  Patroons,  or  patrons. 

t  Kinderhook. 

f  Now  East  Albany,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Hudson  river. 

||  Schenectady. 

§  Billeting-money — that  is,  money  to  pay  for  lodgings  at  private 
houses.  When  soldiers  are  quartered  at  ^private  houses,  it  is  said 
that  such  ones  are  billeted  at  such  a  house,  &c. 


14  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Ock  then  all  marched  of  but  14  and  they  stayed  here 
to  guard  Lieut  Smith  and  the  money  and  yesterday 
Mr.  Holmes  sot  of  for  Home  and  I  giv  5  pence  for 
can-ing  my  letter — we  stayed  here  til  5  oclock  this 
»  afternoon  and  we  heard  nothing  from  Lieut  Smith  and 
we  had  no  provisions  so  we  marched  for  Scanacata* 
and  we  got  in  at  Son  down  well  &  their  was  a  Larromf 
this  night. 

Saturday  17th.  Stil  at  SchenacataJ  and  we  moved 
into  our  Barrocks  and  Barnabas  Evings  was  taken 
poor  with  a  working  in  the  Body  Ben  denny  was  taken 
very  poor. 

Sonday  18th.  I  was  first  called  upon  guard  with  15 
more.  My  turn  came  first  at  11  oclock — this  after- 
noon 3  ock  Lieut.  Smith  come  up  with  our  abilitan 
money. 

Monday  19th.  Stil  at  Schenacata  and  their  was  a 
rigiment  of  province  men||  come  up  to  Schenacata  and 
this  night  25  of  our  men  went  over  the  River  west  1 
mile  to  guard  wagon  Horses — this  day  a  short  training 
1  Regiment. 

Tuesday  20th.  Their  marched  of  3  Hundred  of  the 
Bay  Forces^  for  Fort  Edward^[  and  I  received  my 
abilitan  in  full  £1.8s.0d. 

*  Schenectady.  t  Alarum,  or  alarm.  J  Schenectady. 

||  Provincial  troops,  or  American  soldiers.  The  English  troops 
were  called  regulars. 

§  Massachusetts  Bay  troops.  The  Massachusetts  colony  was  called 
Massachusetts  Bay  until  after  the  War  for  Independence. 

fi  Fort  Edward  was  situated  upon  the  east  bank  of  the  Hudson, 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  15 

Wednesday  21st.  Stil  hear  and  we  were  imbodied  , 
for  prayers  in  the  morning  and  then  trained  a  little. 
Corperal  Carpenter  was  taken  poor. 

Thursday  22d.  Had  orders  to  march  to  the  half 
moon*  and  Captain  Leneses  company  to  &  at  7  oclk 
we  marched  and  arivd  at  Tess-ceunef  and  Lodged 
their  at  Landard  Abraham  Grotes. 

Friday  23d.  Marched  in  the  rain  and  very  gresy 
traviling  it  was  and  we  Arivd  at  Teburth  and  from 
thence  to  the  place  cald  Lowdins  Ferry:}:  to  Landard 
Fungdors  and  from  thence  to  the  half  moon  &  Lodged 
their. 

Saturday  24th.  I  received  a  Letter  from  John  at  the 
half  moon  and  from  thence  we  marched  &  Arived  at  Stil 
Water||  &  Lodged  their  &  Barnabas  Evings  was  poor. 

about  fifty  miles  north  of  Albany.  The  fort  was  bxiilt  by  General 
Lyman,  of  Connecticut,  in  1755,  while  that  officer  was  encamped 
there  with  about  six  thousand  troops,  awaiting  the  ai-rival  of  General 
William  Johnson,  the  commander-in-chief  of  the  expedition  against 
the  French  at  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point.  A  portion  of  the  site 
of  the  fort  is  now  (1854)  occupied  by  the  flourishing  village  of  Fort 
Edward.  Some  of  the  embankments  are  yet  visible  near  the  river. 
It  was  near  this  fort  that  Jane  M'Crea  was  killed  and  scalped,  in  1777. 

*  Near  Waterford,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson  river,  thirteen 
miles  north  from  Albany. 

t  Niskayuna,  a  short  distance  from  Waterford,  and  remarkable  as 
a  settlement  of  Shaking  Quakers. 

|  On  the  Mohawk,  about  five  miles  above  Cohoes  Falls.  It  was 
the  chief  crossing-place  for  troops  on  their  way  north  from  Albany. 
There  the  right  wing  of  the  American  army,  under  Arnold,  was  en- 
camped, while  General  Schuyler  was  casting  up  entrenchments  at 
Cohoes  Falls,  a  few  weeks  before  the  Saratoga  battles,  in  1777. 

||  Stillwater  is  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Hudson,  in  Saratoga  coun- 
ty, twenty -four  miles  north  from  Albany.  The  battle  of  Bemis'fl 


16  MILITARY    JOUUNAL. 

Sonday  25th.  We  got  2  Battoes*  to  carry  our  packs 
up  to  Salatoguef  and  we  went  a  foot  &  8  of  our  men 
were  draun  out  to  stay  at  Salatogue  —  Captain  Lewis 
shot  at  an  Indian  and  kild  him  &L  sot  in  the  Battoe  — 
from  Salatogue  we  marched  on  to  Fort  Miller:}:  and 
Lodged  their. 

Monday  26th.  Rainy  and  wet — I  come  up  the  River 
in  a  Battoe  to  Fort  Edward  to  the  incampment — their 
we  drad  £  a  pound  of  powder  and  10  Bullets  a  peace 
and  8  days  provision  in  order  for  to  march  to  the  Lake|| 
— Barnabas  Evings  was  very  poor  with  fever  nago§ 
and  was  forst  to  stay  behind  &  David  Bishop  with 
him — we  Lodged  in  Bush  tents  and  very  wet  it  was. 

heights  was  fought  near  there,  in  1777,  and  is  sometimes  known  as 
the  battle  of  Stillwater.  Opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Hoosick  river, 
at  Stillwater,  was  a  stockade,  called  Fort  Winslow. 

*  A  batteau  is  a  kind  of  scow  or  flat-boat,  used  on  shallow  streams 
like  the  Hudson  above  Waterford. 

t  Saratoga.  This  settlement  was  near  the  mouth  of  the  Fish 
creek,  on  the  south  side.  The  village  of  Schuylerville  is  just  across 
the  stream,  on  the  north  side.  On  the  plain,  in  front  of  the  village 
of  Schuylerville,  was  a  regular  quadrangular  fortification,  with  bas- 
tions, called  Foil  Hardy.  It  was  erected  in  1756,  and  named  in 
honor  of  the  governor  of  New  York  at  that  time. 

$  On  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson,  six  or  eight  miles  below  Fort 
Edward.  The  river  is  there  broken  by  swift  rapids.  During  this 
campaign,  Major  (afterwai'd  General)  Putnam  was  here  surprised  by 
a  party  of  Indians,  and  boldly  descended  the  rapids  in  a  canoe,  and 
escaped.  It  was  a  feat  they  never  dared  to  attempt,  and  they  felt 
certain  that  he  was  under  the  protection  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Here 
a  stream  called  Bloody  Run  enters  the  Hudson.  It  is  so  named 
because  a  party  of  soldiers  from  the  garrison,  in  1759,  went  there 
to  fish,  were  surprised  by  the  Indians,  and  nine  were  killed  and 
scalped.  ||  Lake  George.  §  Fever-and-ague. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  17 

Tuesday  27th.  Marched  all  of  Colonel  Phiches* 
Regiment  that  were  hear  with  3  teams  to  carry  the  offi- 
cers we  arrived  at  the  half  way  Brookf  and  their  a 
great  percel  stash ond  for  a  while  &  from  thence  we 
Marched  to  Lake  George  and  went  over  upon  the  hill 
East  &  their  Encamptt  one  with  myself  went  upon 
guard  this  night. 

Wednesday  28th.  We  cleard  our  ground  and  pitchd 
our  tents  I  sent  2  letters  home. 

Thursday  29th.  Stil  here  General  Limont  &  Colonel 
Phiches  Regiments  come  up  to  the  Lake  this  day  I 
washed  my  Cloths  1  more  rigiment  come  up. 

Friday  30th.  This  day  there  was  a  very  unhapy  mis- 
hap fel  out  in  the  province  forces  &  that  was  1  *  *  *  * 
shot  one  *  *  *  *  partly  through  the  body  but  did  not 

*  Fitch's. 

t  Afterward  called  Snook's  creek.  It  enters  the  Hudson  three 
miles  below  Fort  Edward. 

}  General  Phineas  Lyman,  who  built  Fort  Edward.  He  was  a 
native  of  Durham,  Connecticut,  where  he  was  born  in  1716.  He 
completed  his  education  at  Yale  college,  and  afterward  became  an 
eminent  lawyer.  He  was  appointed  commander-in-chief  of  the  Con- 
necticut forces  in  1755,  and  in  the  expedition  to  Lake  George  de- 
served all  the  honor  awarded  to  General  Johnson,  who  was  jealous 
of  Lyman's  abilities  as  a  soldier.  Lyman  did  his  duty  nobly,  and 
was  but  little  noticed.  Johnson  was  unfit  for  his  station,  but  being 
a  nephew  of  Sir  Peter  Warren,  then  a  popular  English  admiral,  he 
received  the  honor  of  knighthood,  and  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  for  his  services  in  that  campaign !  General  Lyman  served 
with  distinction  until  the  close  of  the  campaign  in  1760,  and  in  1762 
commanded  the  American  forces  sent  against  Havana.  He  was  in 
England  about  eleven  years,  and,  after  his  return,  went  with  his 
family  to  the  Mississippi,  where  he  died  in  1788. 

2 


18  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

kil  him  the  man  which  was  shot  lived  at  Bridgwater  to 
day  they  drawd  out  9  men  to  go  in  Battoes  up  the 
Lake. 

Saturday  July  1st.  Colonel  Worster*  &  his  rigiment 
came  up  to  day  &  3  of  our  sick  men  1  of  them  Brot 
nuse  that  one  man  shot  another  by  accident  at  Sche- 
nacata  &  an  hour  after  he  died  to  day  our  Chaplirigf 
came  up  &  1  of  Magor  Rogers:}:  men  came  in  that  had 

*  Colonel  David  Wooster,  of  Connecticut,  the  eminent  general  of 
the  Revolution,  who  was  killed  at  Riclgefield,  while  engaged  in  the 
pursuit  of  Tryon,  after  the  burning  of  Danbury,  in  the  spring  of 
1777.  He  was  born  in  Stratford,  Connecticut,  in  March,  1710,  grad- 
uated at  Yale  college  in  1738,  and  soon  afterward  received  the  ap- 
pointment of  captain  of  a  vessel  of  the  coast-guard.  He  was  in  the 
expedition  against  Louisburg  in  1745.  He  afterward  went  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  was  a  favorite  at  the  court  of  George  II.,  and  re- 
ceived the  appointment  of  captain  in  the  regular  service,  under  Sir 
William  Pepperell.  He  was  promoted  to  a  colonelcy  in  1755,  and 
rose  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  before  the  close  of  the  French  and 
Indian  war.  He  was  one  of  the  most  active  men  in  getting  up  the 
expedition  against  Ticonderoga,  in  1775,  which  resulted  in  the  cap- 
ture of  that  fortress,  and  also  Crown  Point,  by  Colonel  Ethan  Allen 
and  Benedict  Arnold.  Wooster  was  appointed  one  of  the  first  brig- 
adiers of  the  continental  army,  in  1775,  and  third  in  rank.  He  was 
also  appointed  the  first  major-general  of  the  militia  of  his  state,  when, 
organized  for  the  War  for  Independence  ;  and  in  that  capacity  he 
was  employed,  with  Arnold,  Silliman,-and  others,  in  repelling  Brit- 
ish invasion  in  1777.  He  lost  his  life  in  that  service.  His  remains 
were  buried  at  Danbury ;  and  in  1854  a  monument  was  erected  over 
his  grave  by  his  grateful  countrymen,  at  the  expense  of  his  native 
state. 

t  Chaplain. 

J  Commander  of  a  corps  of  rangers,  who  performed  signal  services 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  French  and  Indian  war.  He  was  the 
son  of  an  Irishman,  an  early  settler  of  Dunbarton,  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. He  was  appointed  to  his  command  in  1755,  and  was  a  thor- 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  19 

bin  gorn  7  days  &  Expected  to  be  gorn  but  2  he  was 
so  beat  out  that  he  could  not  tel  what  had  becom  of 
tother.  this  night  I  went  upon  a  batto  and  guarded 
Colonel  Phiches  Tub  of  Butter. 

Sonday  2.  In  the  fore  noon  I  went  to  meting  & 
heard  Mr.  Eals  his  text  was  in  the  5th  Chapter  of 
James  16th  verse  a  good  sermon  I  rote  a  letter  & 
sent  home  &^  in  the  after  noon  to  meeting  again. 

Monday  3d.  Yesterday  Mager  putmons  S  Company 
came  up  and  this  morning  Mager  putnom*  come  up 

ough  scout.  In  1759,  he  was  sent  by  General  Amherst  to  destroy 
the  Indian  village  of  St.  Francis.  In  that  expedition  he  suffered 
great  hardships,  but  was  successful.  He  served  in  the  Cherokee 
war  in  1761,  and  in  1766  was  appointed  governor  of  Michiliraacinac, 
where  he  was  accused  of  treason,  and  sent  to  Montreal  in  irons.  He 
was  acquitted,  went  to  England,  and,  after  suffering  imprisonment 
for  debt,  returned  to  America,  where  he  remained  until  tlie  Revo- 
lution broke  out.  He  took  up  arms  for  the  king,  and  in  1777  went 
to  England,  where  he  died.  His  "  Journal  of  the  French  and  Indian 
War"  is  a  valuable  work. 

*  Israel  Putnam,  afterward  the  Revolutionary  general.  He  was 
born  in  Salem,  Massachusetts,  in  January,  1718.  He  was  a  vigor- 
ous lad,  and  in  1739  we  find  him  cultivating  land  in  Pomfret,  Con- 
necticut, the  scene  of  his  remarkable  adventure  in  a  wolfs  den,  so 
familiar  to  every  reader.  He  was  appointed  to  the  command  of 
some  of  the  first  troops  raised  in  Connecticut  for  the  French  and 
Indian  war  in  1755,  and  was  an  active  officer  during  the  entire 
period  of  that  conflict,  especially  while  in  command  of  a  corps  of 
rangers.  He  was  ploughing  in  his  field  when  the  news  of  the  skir- 
mishes at  Lexington  and  Concord  reached  him.  He  immediately 
started  for  Boston,  and,  at  the  head  of  Connecticut  troops,  was  active 
in  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill.  He  was  one  of  the  first  four  major- 
generals  of  the  continental  army  appointed  by  Congress  in  June, 
1775,  and  he  was  constantly  on  duty  in  important  movements  until 
1779,  when  a  partial  paralysis  of  one  side  of  his  body  disabled  him 


20  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

and  the  Connetticuts  rigiment  were  Imbodied  for  to 
learn  how  to  form  your  front  to  the  Right  and  left  for 
Jineral  Abbacromba*  and  his  A  de  Camp  to  vieu. 

Tuesday  4.  This  day  I  cut  my  hat  and  received  my 
amariition  and  provision  for  4  days  and  made  radey  for 
to  go  on. 

Wednesday  5th.  This  day  the  Army  by  son  rise  got 
ready  for  to  March  and  Marched  of  by  Water,  and 
Arived  at  the  Saberday  pointf  &  stayed  their  til  mid- 

for  military  service.  He  lived  in  retirement  after  the  war,  and  died 
at  Brooklyn,  Windham  county,  Connecticut,  on  the  29th  of  May, 
1790,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 

*  General  James  Abercrombie,  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
campaign.  He  was  descended  from  an  ancient  Scotch  family,  and, 
because  of  signal  services  on  the  continent,  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  major-general,  the  military  art  having  been  his  profession 
since  boyhood.  He  was  superseded  by  Lord  Amherst,  after  his 
defeat  at  Ticonderoga,  and  returned  to  England  in  the  spring  of 
1759. 

t  Sabbath-day  Point.  This  is  a  fertile  little  promontory,  jutting 
out  into  Lake  George  from  the  western  shore,  a  few  miles  from  the 
little  village  of  Hague,  and  surrounded  by  the  most  picturesque 
scenery  imaginable.  It  was  so  named,  at  this  time,  because  it  was 
early  on  Sunday  morning  that  Abercrombie  and  his  army  left  this 
place  and  proceeded  down  the  lake.  There  a  small  provincial  force 
had  a  desperate  fight  with  a  party  of  French  and  Indians,  in  1756, 
and  defeated  them.  Abercrombie's  army  went  down  the  lake  in 
batteaux  and  whale-boats,  and  reached  the  Point  just  at  dark.  Cap- 
tain (afterward  General)  Stark  relates  that  he  supped  with  the  young 
lord  Howe  that  evening,  at  the  Point,  and  that  the  nobleman  made 
many  anxious  inquiries  about  the  strength  of  Ticonderoga,  the  coun- 
try to  be  traversed,  &c.,  and,  by  his  serious  demeanor,  evinced  a 
presentiment  of  his  sad  fate.  He  was  killed  in  a  skirmish  with  a 
French  scout  two  days  afterward.  His  body  was  conveyed  to  Al- 
bany, in  charge  of  Captain  (afterward  General)  Philip  Schuyler,  and 
buried  there.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  admiral  and  general  of  that 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  21 

ni^ht  then  Marched  again  to  the  first  narrows  &  Land- 

m  <~> 

ed  their  and  went  down. 

Thursday  6th.  12  A  Clock  at  night  we  marched  of 
again*  &  landed  at  the  1st  narrows  &  then  we  Marched 
on  to  the  fallsf  within  2  miles  of  the  fort  and  there  we 
was  attackt  by  the  Enemy:}:  and  the  Engagement  held 

name,  who  commanded  the  British  naval  and  land  forces  in  America 
in  1776. 

*  "  The  order  of  march,"  says  Major  Rogers,  "  exhibited  a  splen- 
did military  show."  There  were  sixteen  thousand  well-armed  troops. 
Lord  Howe,  in  a  large  hoat,  led  the  van  of  the  flotilla,  accompanied 
by  a  guard  of  rangers  and  expert  boatmen.  The  regular  troops  oc- 
cupied the  centre,  and  the  provincials  the  wings.  The  sky  was  clear 
and  starry,  and  not  a  breeze  ruffled  the  dark  waters  as  they  slept 
quietly  in  the  shadows  of  the  mountains.  Their  oars  were  muffled, 
and,  so  silently  did  they  move  on,  that  not  a  scout  upon  the  hills 
observed  them ;  and  the  first  intimation  that  the  outposts  of  the 
enemy  received  of  their  approach  was  the  full  blaze  of  their  scarlet 
uniforms,  when,  soon  after  sunrise,  they  landed  and  pushed  on  tow- 
ard Ticonderoga. 

t  Rapids  in  the  stream  which  forms  the  outlet  of  Lake  George  into 
Lake  Champlain.  Here  are  now  extensive  saw  and  grist  mills. 
The  distance  from  the  foot  of  Lake  George  to  Fort  Ticonderoga  is 
about  four  miles. 

f  The  English  lacked  suitable  guides,  and  became  bewildered  in 
the  dense  forest  that  covered  the  land.  Lord  Howe  was  second  in 
command,  and  led  the  van,  preceded  by  Major  Putnam  and  a  scout 
of  one  hundred  men,  to  reconnoitre.  The  French  set  fire  to  their 
own  outpost,  and  retreated.  Howe  and  Putnam  dashed  on  through 
the  woods,  and  in  a  few  minutes  fell  in  with  the  French  advanced 
guard,  who  were  also  bewildered,  and  were  trying  to  find  their  way 
to  the  fort.  A  smart  skirmish  ensued,  and,  at  the  first  fire,  Lord 
Howe,  another  officer,  and  several  privates,  were  killed.  The 
French  were  repulsed,  Avith  a  loss  of  about  three  hundred  killed,  and 
one  hundred  and  forty  made  prisoners.  The  English  battalions  were 
so  much  broken,  confused,  and  fatigued,  that  Abercrombie  ordered 
them  back  to  the  landing-place,  where  they  bivouacked  for  the  night. 


22  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

1  hour  and  we  kiled  and  took  upwards  of  2  &  50,  & 
of  Captain  Holmes  Company  we  had  3  Men  wounded. 
Sergent  Cada  Sergent  Armsba  and  Ensign  Robbins  & 
at  Sondown  the  French  come  out  again  5  thousand 
strong  and  our  men  came  back  again  to  the  Landing 
place  &  Lodged  their. 

Friday  7th.  Majer  Rogers  went  down  to  the  mils 
and  drove  them  of  there  from  &  kild  and  took  upwards 
of  150  &  at  Son  down  the  last  of  the  Army  marched 
down  to  the  Mils  and  Majer  putnorn  made  a  Bridge 
over  by  the  Landing  place  this  night  we  lodged  by 
the  Mils. 

Saturday  8th.  Then  marched  back  2  or  3  rigiments 
to  the  Landing  place  to  guard  &  help  Get  up  Artillira 
and  we  worked  all  the  fore  noon  onloading  the  Battoes 
and  at  noon  we  set  out  down  to  the  Mils  with  the  Ar- 
tillira &  we  got  near  the  Mils  and  we  had  orders  to 
leave  the  Artillira*  their  and  go  back  &  get  our  arms 

*  This  was  Abercrombie's  fatal  mistake.  He  sent  an  engineer  to 
reconnoitre  the  fort  and  outworks.  The  engineer  reported  the  latter 
to  be  so  weak,  in  an  unfinished  state,  as  to  be  easily  carried,  without 
artillery,  by  the  force  of  English  bayonets.  The  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  heavy  cannons,  in  that  dense  forest,  were  very  formidable ; 
and  Abercrombie  was  willing  to  rely  upon  sword  and  bayonet,  on 
the  strength  of  his  engineer's  report.  That  functionary  was  mis- 
taken ;  and  when  the  English  approached  the  French  lines,  they 
found  an  embankment  of  earth  and  stones,  eight  feet  in  height, 
strongly  guarded  by  abatis,  or  felled  trees,  with  their  tops  outward. 
The  English  made  a  furious  attack,  cut  pathways  through  these 
prostrate  trees,  and  mounted  the  parapet.  They  were  instantly 
slain,  and  thus  scores  of  Britons  were  sacrificed,  by  discharges  of 
heavy  cannons.  When  two  thousand  men  had  fallen,  Abercrombie 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  23 

and  we  went  down  to  the  Mils  of  our  rigirnent  2  Hun- 
dred were  ordered  to  go  over  on  the  point  to  keep  the 
French  from  Landing  their  and  we  stayed  while  next 
morning  son  2  hours  high  &  when  we  came  in  all  our 
army  and  Artillira  was  gorn  hack  &  the  Mils  fired  and 
we  marched  back  to  the  Landing  place  and  had  to  se- 
cure matter  of  200  Barrels  of  Flour  &  we  heard  the 
French  were  a  coming  upon  us  and  we  stove  them  all 
and  come  of  us  as  soon  as  we  could  and  about  10  Ock 
we  sot  sail  and  &  by  Son  down  we  arrived  at  Lake 
George*  according  to  all  accounts  the  Engagement  be- 
gan about  10  clock  and  held  10  Hours  steady  and  we 
lost  3  Thousand  rigulars. 

Monday  10th.  Stil  at  Lake  George  in  our  old  en- 
campment 2  Cannon  and  2  morter  peaces  all  of  them 
Brass  come  into  Lake  George  to  day. 

Tuesday  llth.  I  washed  my  Clothes  to  day  had  Tea 
for  Brecfirst. 

sounded  a  retreat,  and  the  whole  British  army  made  its  way  to  the 
landing-place  at  the  foot  of  Lake  George,  with  a  loss  of  twenty-five 
hundred  muskets.  They  went  up  the  lake  to  Fort  William  Henry, 
and  the  wounded  were  sent  to  Fort  Edward  and  to  Albany.  At 
his  own  solicitation,  Colonel  Bradstreet  was  sent  to  attack  the  French 
fort  Frontenac,  where  Kingston  now  stands,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  On- 
tario ;  and  General  Stanwix  proceeded  to  erect  a  fort  toward  the 
head-waters  of  the  Mohawk,  where  the  village  of  Rome  now  flour- 
ishes. 

*  The  head  of  the  lake  was  especially  designated  as  "  Lake 
George."  There  was  the  dilapidated  fort  William  Henry,  built  by 
Sir  William  Johnson,  in  the  autumn  of  1755  ;  and,  about  half  a  mile 
southeast  from  it,  Fort  George  was  afterward  erected.  The  ruins 
of  its  citadel  may  yet  (1854)  be  seen. 


24  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Wednesday  12th.  To  day  I  was  cald  upon  guard. 
Stephen  Lyon  went  to  Fort  Edward. 

Thursday  13th.  To  day  washed  My  Clothes. 

Friday  14th.  Nothing  remarkable. 

Saturday  15th.  Nothing  remarkable  cald  out  to 
work. 

Sonday  16th.  Went  to  meeting  to  hear  Mr.  Pomme- 
rai*  &  his  text  was  in  the  16th  Chapter  of  Isaiah  the 
9th  verce  in  the  afternoon  went  to  hear  Mr.  Eals  and 
his  text  was  in  4th  Chapter  of  Amos  &  the  12th  verce 
Sung  the  45  Salm  the  last  time  sung  the  44th  Salm 
this  day  Colonel  Dotays  Rigiment  marched  of. 

Monday  17th.  This  day  Sergent  Joseph  Mathers  had 
a  new  shirt  put  on  of  70  stripes!  I  wrashed  and  at  night 
was  caled  upon  the  picket  guard  Barny  went  down  to 
the  halfway  brook:}:  and  back  again  to  guard  Artillira. 

Tuesday  18th.  One  Samuel  Jonson  died  very  sud- 
denly he  belonged  to  Captain  Latimer  Company  of 
new  Cannen,  Nehemiah  Blackmore  was  whipt  10 
stripes  for  fireing  his  gun. 

Wednesday  19th.  This  day  to  work  upon  the  Hos- 
petal  gitting  timber  to  it  I  went  upon  the  Island))  to  stay 
thair  a  week. 

*  Pomeroy. 

t  Flogging  was  facetiously  termed  "  putting  on  a  new  shirt." 
Seventy  lashes  was  a  pretty  severe  punishment. 

|  This  was  the  outlet  of  three  little  lakes,  situated  about  half  way 
between  the  head  of  Lake  George  and  the  bend  of  the  Hudson  at 
Sandy  Hill.  They  are  the  head- waters  of  Clear  river,  the  west  branch 
of  Wood  creek,  which  empties  into  Lake  Champlain  at  Whitehall. 

||  This  was  Diamond  island,  lying  directly  in  front  of  Dunham's 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  25 

Thursday  20th.  Stil  at  work  Colonel  Worster  sot 
out  to  go  down  to  Albany  and  a  number  of  men  with 
him  this  morning  10  Men  were  a  going  to  the  half  way 
Brook  to  guard  the  Post  and  the  Indians  way  laid  them 
and  kild  9  of  them  &  1  got  in  safe  and  they  rallyd  out 
from  the  Brook  100  &  went  back  to  see  what  was  the 
Matter  and  they  laid  wait  for  them  &  they  fired  upon 
the  front  first  and  kiled  2  Captains  and  2  Leiutenants 
on  the  spot  &  our  men  were  supprised  and  run  back 
all  but  a  few  and  they  stood  a  little  while  &,  lost  17 
men  the  engagement  began  son  2  hours  high  about  a 
nowr  after  Leiut.  Smith  &  200  of  our  men  went  down 
to  help  guard  the  teames  down  to  Fort  Edward. 

Friday  21st.  This  day  at  knight  Leiut.  Smith  came 
back  &  very  poor  he  was  the  rest  of  the  guard  re- 
turned well. 

Saturday  22d.  This  day  Colonel  Partrages*  rigiment 
were  resolved  to  have  their  full  Allowance  or  go  of  and 
they  got  itf  —  a  small  shower  &  at  night  our  post  came 
in  and  our  Men  that  stayed  behind  came  up  I  received 
a  letter  from  Home. 

Sonday  23d.  Went  to  meeting  and  the  text  was  in 

bay,  and  not  far  from  the  village  of  Caldwell.  It  was  so  called  be- 
cause of  the  number  and  beauty  of  quartz-crystals  found  upon  it. 
Burgoyne  made  it  a  depot  of  military  stores  when  on  his  way  from 
Canada,  by  the  way  of  Lake  Champlain,  in  1777.  It  was  the  scene 
of  a  sharp  conflict  between  the  little  garrison  and  a  party  of  Ameri- 
cans under  Colonel  Brown,  on  the  25th  of  September,  1777,  while 
Gates  and  Burgoyne  were  confronted  at  Saratoga.  Brown  was 
repulsed. 

*  Partridge's.  t  They  were  volunteers. 


26  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  3  chapter  of  John  &  the  16  verse  &  in  the  after 
noon  the  Text  was  in  the  6  chapter  of  Micah  6  &  7 
verses  this  day  wet  &  hard  showers. 

Monday  24th.  This  day  a  week  ago  Ensign  Robins 
died  at  Albany  this  day  Henry  Morris  came  up  to  Lake 
George  with  2  Waggon  Loads  of  Rum  and  sold  it 
right  of- 

Tuesday  25th.  Captain  Holmes  and  5  of  our  men 
went  down  to  the  half  way  Brook  to  be  stashoned  their 
til  Furder  orders-at9  Ock  one  James  Makmehoon* 
was  hanged  upon  the  galloes  upon  the  top  of  the  Rock- 
ka  noosef  our  post  came  in  and  I  was  released  from 
the  Haspital  work. 

Wednesday  26th.  Majer  putnom  had  orders  to  list 
400  ranjers  and  listed  some  to  day. 

Thursday  27th.  This  day  the  Captains  of  the  Com- 
panys  drawed  out  9  men  of  a  company  for  ranjers. 

Friday  28th.  There  was  about  40  teams  &  wagons 
a  coming  up  about  half  way  between  Forte  Edward 
and  half  way  Brook  and  a  scout  of  French  &  Indians 
way  laid  them  and  kiled  every  ox  and  destroyed  all 
their  stors  every  thing:):  and  about  midnight  our  camps 
were  alarmd  of  it  and  Majer  putnom  rallyd  about  a 
1000  Men  &  went  after  them. 

Saturday  29th.  This  day  Rogers  went  upon  the  track 

*  M'Mahon  1  t  This  locality  can  not  be  identified. 

$  Rogers,  in  his  Journal,  speaks  of  this  occurrence.  He  says  it 
was  on  the  27th,  and  that  one  hundred  and  sixteen  men  were  killed, 
of  whom  sixteen  were  rangers. 


FRENCH   AND    INDIAN   WAR.  27 

with  his  ranjers*  and  sent  back  for  all  the  picket  guard 
and  they  went  &  this  day  I  was  very  poor  &  took  a 
portion  of  fizik. 

Sonday  30th.  This  morning  by  break  of  day  som  of 
Majer  putnoms  men  that  he  left  with  the  Battoes  spied 
some  more  a  coming  down  the  Lake  and  they  com  & 
told  &  Limon  rallyd  up  about  2000  men  and  went  up 
the  Lake  I  was  poor  and  went  to  meeting  Mr.  Ingarsonf 
preach'd  &  his  text  was  in  salms  the  83  &  the  14 -  & 
1 5  &  the  after  noon  the  text  was  in  Duteronemy  32  & 
29  verse. 

Mon.  31st.  9  of  our  Newingland  Men  were  put  un- 
der guard  for  making  a  false  larrom  about  the  battoes 
coming  down  upon  us  &  also  one  regular  that  Rogers 
took  that  desarted  last  vear  to  the  French  from  us. 

Tuesday  August  1st.  Their  was  about  700  men  went 
down  to  the  Half  Way  Brook  to  be  stashond  their  and 
8  of  our  company  and  Captain  Holmes  came  back. 

Wednes.  2.  To  day  Jineral  Limon  came  in  of  of  a 
scout  &  the  men  that  went  with  him  and  Rogers  and 
putnom  went  of  a  scout  with  14  or  15  hundred  for  10 
daysf  this  day  Craft  died  and  was  buried  Stephen 
Lyon  come  of  scout. 

*  He  went  out  with  seven  hundred  men,  to  intercept  the  maraud- 
ing party,  but  they  escaped. 

t  Ingersoll. 

J  Rogers  says  that,  on  his  return  from  his  attempt  to  intercept  the 
marauding  party,  he  was  met  by  an  express,  with  orders  to  march 
toward  the  head  of  Lake  Champlain,  at  South  and  East  bays,  to 
prevent  the  French  marching  upon  Fort  Edward.  There  he  was 
by  Major  Putnam  and  Captain  Dalyell  or  D'Ell. 


28  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Thurs.  3rd.  Two  of  our  men  went  out  a  fishing  for 
2  days  but  had  poor  luck. 

Friday  4th.  We  had  orders  to  march  to  Fort  Edward 
&,  I  washed  up  my  clothes. 

Sat.  5th.  This  morning  about  half  our  rigiment 
marched  forward  to  build  brest  Works  along  upon  the 
road  in  some  bad  places  we  arived  at  Fort  Edward  at 
9  0  clock  &  we  Built  2  Brest  works. 

Sonday  6th.  We  drawd  3  days  provision  and  this 
afternoon  the  Rest  of  our  Rigiment  came  down  and 
the  teams  that  went  up  the  day  Before  we  received 
our  pacet*  of  letters  from  home. 

Monday  7th.  Cap.n  &  all  that  were  able  to  go  were 
ordered  to  guard  down  to  Fort  Miller  and  back  again. 

Tues.  8th.  In  the  morning  we  were  drawd  out  for 
work  and  worked  the  fore  noon  then  we  were  ordered 
to  fix  every  Man  in  the  rigiments  to  make  ready,  to  go 
out  to  help  Majer  putnom  and  we  met  them  a  coming 
in  about  son  down  and  we  helpt  them  a  long  as  far  as 
we  could  &  that  nite  &  lay  out  that  nite  &  3  of  the 
wounded  men  died  there  and  Ben  Deny  for  one.f 

»  Packet. 

t  A  severe  engagement  took  place  on  Clear  river,  the  west  branch 
of  Wood  creek,  about  a  mile  northwest  from  Fort  Anne  village  (then 
the  site  of  a  picketed  blockhouse,  called  Fort  Anne),  between  a  party 
of  rangers  and  provincials  under  Rogers,  Putnam,  and  Captain  Dai- 
yell,  or  D'Ell,  and  about  an  equal  number  of  French  and  Indians 
under  Molang,  a  famous  partisan  leader.  The  English  troops  were 
marching  when  attacked  :  Putnam  was  in  front,  with  the  provincials ; 
Rogers  was  in  the  rear,  with  his  rangers ;  and  D'Ell  in  the  centre, 
with  the  regulars.  Molang  attacked  them  in  front,  and  a  powerful 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  29 

Wed.  9th.  We  got  in  about  8  a  clock  &,  Buried  the 
dead  &  the  wounded  were  dresd  &  carried  over  on 
the  Island*  Powers  came  up  with  a  load  of  Settlers! 
stores  and  treated  us  well. 

Thur.  10th.  I  was  cald  out  to  work  upon  the  Block 
house  this  day  our  post  went  of  home  with  our  letters. 

Friday  llth.  We  went  up  to  guard  teams  to  Half 
Way  Brook  and  to  Build  a  Brest  Work  36  Ox  teams 
&/  6  Wagons. 

Sat.  12th.  Colonel  Phichij:  had  a  letter  from  Major 
putnom  at  tiantiroge||  he  is  taken  prisoner.^ 

Indian  rushed  forward  and  made  Putnam  a  prisoner.  The  provin- 
cials were  thrown  into  great  confusion,  but  were  rallied  by  Lieuten- 
ant Durkee,  who  was  one  of  the  victims  of  the  Wyoming  massacre 
twenty  years  afterward.  D'Ell,  with  Gage's  light  infantry,  behaved 
very  gallantly,  and  the  rangers  finally  put  the  enemy  to  flight.  The 
latter  lost  about  two  hundred  men.  Colonel  Prevost,  then  in  com- 
mand at  Fort  Edward,  sent  out  three  hundred  men,  with  refresh- 
ments for  the  party,  and  all  arrived  at  Fort  Edward  on  the  9th. 
This  was  the  relief-party  mentioned  in  the  text,  under  date  of 
the  8th. 

*  This  is  an  island  in.  the  Hudson,  opposite  Fort  Edward,  and 
known  as  Rogers's  island. 

t  Sutler's.  J  Fitch.  ||  Ticonderoga. 

§  The  Indian  who  seized  Putnam  tied  him  to  a  tree,  and  for  a 
time  he  was  exposed  to  the  cross-fire  of  the  combatants.  His  gar- 
ments were  riddled  by  bullets,  but,  strange  to  say,  not  one  touched 
his  person.  He  was  carried  away  in  the  retreat,  his  wrists  tightly 
bound  with  cords.  The  Indians  rejoiced  over  the  capture  of  their 
great  enemy,  and  he  was  doomed  to  the  torture.  In  the  deep  for- 
est he  was  stripped  naked,  bound  to  a  sapling,  wood  was  piled  high 
around  him,  the  death-songs  of  the  savages  were  chanted,  and  the 
torch  was  applied.  Just  then  a  heavy  shower  of  rain  almost  extin- 
guished the  flames.  They  were  again  bursting  forth  with  fiercer 
intensity,  when  a  French  officer,  informed  of  what  was  going  on, 


30  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Son.  13th.  Day  the  chief  of  our  men  upon  duty  and 
the  rest  went  to  meeting  the  afternoon  the  text  was  in 
the  2nd  of  timothy  the  1st  qhapter  &  10  verce. 

Mon.  14.  I  had  nothing  to  du  I  rote  a  letter  to 
John. 

Tues.  15.  I  was  upon  picit*  guard  &  wet  and  stormy 
it  was  1  of  the  regalars  whipt  for  sleping  upon  guard. 

Wednesday  16.  The  ranjers  discoverd  a  scout  of 
French  &  com  in  to  Fort  Edward  and  all  that  were 
able  were  ready  at  a  minits  warning  to  day  I  sent  a 
Letter  to  John  Lyon. 

Thursday  17th.  w,  p,  31  stripes  stil  &  Nothing  to 
do  the  Liev.ts  fixed  up  their  tents. 

Friday  18th.  6  of  our  men  were  ordered  to  go  over 
to  work  upon  the  Block  House  over  the  river  I  was 
raly  tired  at  night. 

Saturday  19th.  I  washed  My  clothes  Col  fitch  at 
Salatogue. 

Sonday  20th.  We  were  almost  all  out  upon  duty  to 
work  at  the  High  Wajs  and  in  the  after  noon  a  very 
hard  shower  which  sot  our  tents  all  aflote. 

Monday  21st.  I  went  down  to  Fort  Mizereyf  &  I 

darted  through  the  crowd  of  yelling  savages,  and  released  the  pris- 
oner. He  was  delivered  to  Montcalm  at  Ticonderoga,  then  sent  to 
Montreal,  and,  after  being  treated  kindly,  was  exchanged  for  a  pris- 
oner taken  by  Colonel  Bradstreet  at  Frontenac. 

«  Picket. 

t  Fort  Misery  was  a  brenstwork  at  the  mouth  of  Moses's  kill,  or 
creek,  a  short  distance  from  Fort  Miller,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Hudson. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  31 

heard  of  John  Day's  death  at  Saletogue  this  day  Morris 
came  up  and  we  lived  well. 

Tuesday  22d.  I  went  up  the  river  to  look  for  a  horse 
Steven  &  I  was  cald  upon  picit  guard. 

Wednesday  23d.  I  went  out  to  look  oxen  and  was 
treated  well  1  mans  gun  went  of  and  cut  of  his  finger 
we  drove  out  the  2  men  out  of  the  Block  House  kep 
the  great  Cattle. 

Thursday,  24th.  I  was  cald  out  to  guard  up  teams 
and  to  work  on  the  road  &/  had  a  Jil  of  rum  for  it 
Zachariah  Catlin  died  at  Fort  Edward. 

Friday  25th.  I  was  cald  upon  the  quorter  guard  & 
we  heard  the  great  guns  that  we're  fired  at  the  Lake* 
they  shot  at  a  mark  and  our  Provinshals  beat  them  & 
it  made  them  very  mad. 

Saturday  26.  David  Lyon  and  Barnes  sot  out  to  go 
to  Albany  sick  this  day  they  held  a  rigimental  Court 
Mershal  upon  3  deserters  of  Captain  Mathers  company 
one  William  Cannody  &  William  Clerftanon  were 
Judged  to  have  1000  Lashes  and  to  day  receved  200 

6  50  stripes  a  peace  tother  was  forgiven. 

Sonday  27.  1  was  out  upon  the  works  at  the  great 
Block  House  we  were  out  of  provision  we  drawed  for 

7  days  &  but  4  gorn  so  the  regalers  shot  Pigeons  and 
our  men  did  so  to. 

Monday  28th.    Every  Private  in  our  company  was 
out  upon  duty  that  was  able,  &  about  4  a  clock  we 
came  in  and  the  orders  were  that  every  man  should 
*  At  Fort  George,  at  the  head  of  Lake  George. 


32  MILITARY   JOURNAL. 

make  ready  to  fire  3  valleys*  and  first  they  fired  the 
cannon  at  the  Fort  one  after  tother  round  the  Fort 
which  is  21  then  the  small  arms  &  so  3  rounds  a  piece 
and  then  made  a  great  fire  on  the  Perrade  and  played 
round  it  &  1  Jil  of  Rum  a  man  aloud  for  the  frollic 
&  a  Barrel  of  Beer  for  a  Company!  a  very  wet 
knight. 

Tuesday  29th.  Very  wet  in  the  Morning  then  cleared 
of  cold  I  went  upon  duty  and  sent  a  Letter  Home. 

Friday  September  ye  1st.  Our  duty  was  to  help  git 
out  the  Cannon  out  of  the  Bottom  of  the  river  that  was 
dropt  in  by  the  means  of  going  to  near  the  end  of  the 
Brig+  and  sunk  the  scows  and  drownd  1  ox  very  cold 
work  A  woman,  whipt  70  stripes  &  drumed  out  of 
Camp. 

Saterday  2nd.  I  was  cald  upon  the  pickit  guard  to 
day  last  nite  I  went  down  to  Fort  Misketor||  &  Smith 
Ains worth  treated  us  well. 

Sonday  3rd.  I  was  out  upon  the  escort  and  every 
man  upon  som  duty  I  went  to  meeting  part  of  the  fore 
noon  and  the  text  was  in  acts  24  &  25  Charles  Ripla 
was  put  in  Ensign. 

Monday  4th,  Our  Post  sot  of  home  I  went  down  to 
Fort  Misketor  to  guard  teams  and  the  Post  and  the 

*  Volleys. 

t  It  was  the  king's  birthday.  The  firing  of  twenty-one  heavy 
guns  formed  a  royal  salute. 

J  Bridge. 

||  Fort  Musquito  was  a  breastwork  cast  up  at  the  mouth  of  Snooks' 
creek. 


FRENCH   AND    INDIAN   WAR.  33 

Lobster's*  and  our  men  hopt  &  rassledf  together  to 
see  which  would  beat  and  our  men  Beat. 

Tuesday  5th.  Stil  &,  Nothing  strange. 

Wednesday  6th.  Most  all  of  our  men  upon  duty  I 
was  to  work  a  making  a  road  to  go  up  to  the  great 
Block  House. 

Thursday  7th.  All  our  men  out  upon  works  guar- 
din  teams  a  great  number  of  them  nisrh  100  &  when 

CJ  O 

we  came  back  their  was  a  scout  com  in  to  Fort  Ed- 
ward that  went  out  from  the  Lake  they  discoverd 
nothing. 

Friday  8th.  This  day  sergent  Erls  went  out  to  Fort 
Ant  after  the  Con-nu||  &  Lieut.  Larnard  &  Ephraim 
Ellinghood  Knap  &  John  Richason  and  Jeb  Brooks 
&  Hezekiah  Carpenter  they  6  of  our  company  40  in 

*  This  was  a  nickname  for  the  regular  troops,  who  were  dressed 
in  scarlet  uniforms. 

t  Wrestled. 

{  Fort  Anne  was  erected  in  1757,  a  year  before  the  occurrences 
here  narrated  took  place.  It  was  a  strong  blockhouse  of  logs,  with 
portholes  for  cannon  and  loopholes  for  musketry,  and  surrounded  by 
a  picket  of  pine-saplings.  When  the  writer  visited  the  spot  in  1848, 
he  dug  up  the  part  of  one  of  the  pickets  yet  remaining  in  the  earth, 
and,  on  splitting  it,  it  emitted  the  pleasant  odor  of  a  fresh  pine-log, 
though  ninety  years  had  elapsed  since  it  was  placed  there.  This 
fort  was  near  the  bank  of  Wood  creek,  about  eleven  miles  from  the 
head  of  Lake  Champlain,  at  the  village  of  Whitehall.  It  was  in  the 
line  of  Burgoyne's  march  toward  the  Hudson,  in  1777 ;  and  near  it 
quite  a  severe  skirmish  took  place  between  Colonel  Long,  of  Schuy- 
ler's  army,  and  a  British  detachment  under  Colonel  Hill,  on  the  8th 
of  July,  the  day  after  Ticonderoga  was  abandoned  to  the -enemy. 
Victory  was  almost  within  the  grasp  of  Colonel  Long,  when  his  am- 
munition failed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  retreat. 

)|  Canoe. 

3 


34  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

all  went  along  I  went  to  work  at  the  high  way  &  had 
half  a  pint  of  Rum  for  it. 

Saterday  9th.  I  was  warned  a  quarter  guard  and  I 
changed  with  Moses  Peak  and  went  upon  the  Escort 
&  got  in  by  12  a  clock  I  was  warned  out  to  work  but 
did  not  do  much  sergent  Erls  com  in  with  his  Con-nu 
' — and  the  Jineral  was  much  pleased  with  it. 

Sonday  10.  I  was  upon  guard  but  went  to  meeting 
a  part  of  the  fore  noon  and  the  text  was  in  the  24  of 
Acts  &  25  verce  &  the  Afternoon  the  text  was  in  James 
the  6th  &  12  verce. 

Monday  11.  I  took  4  days  provision  &  Josh  Barrit 
and  one  ranjer  with  me  &  we  went  out  near  fort  An 
and  we  spied  a  fire  and  som  person  and  we  com  back 
and  made  our  report  to  the  Jeneral  &  he  blamed  us 
som  and  said  we  should  have  a  new  pilot  and  go  again. 
Jo  Downer  put  under  guard. 

Tuesday  12th.  I  was  freed  from  duty  and  we  went 
&  split  out  som  plank  to  du  up  our  tent. 

Wednesday  13th.  To  work  in  the  Fort  a  wheeling 
gravel  all  day  4  regulars  whipt  in  Fort  som  for  gaming 
&,  one  for  being  absent  after  being  warned  upon  guard. 

Thursday  14th.  I  was  warned  on  Escort  down  to 
Mizzery*  and  flankt  all  the  day  Tuesday  12  at  night 
there  was  2  Bonfires  &  2  Barrels  of  Rum  aloud  for  the 
Rejoicing  of  Broad  Street's  taking  Catarocrway.f 

*  Fort  Misery. 

t  The  Indian  name  of  the  site  of  Fort  Frontenac  (where  Kings- 
ton, Upper  Canada,  now  stands),  taken  by  Colonel  Bradstreet,  was 
Cataraqua.  That  was  also  the  Indian  name  for  Lake  Ontario. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  35 

Friday  15th.  Day  I  was  to  work  over  upon  the  Island 
&  worked  hard  a  shovling  dirt  &c  Ephraim  Ellinghood 
taken  poorly. 

Saturday  16th.  Day  I  went  to  cuting  fassheens*  & 
stented  4  a  peace  in  half  a  day  &  12  stakes. 

Sonday  17th.  All  our  men  upon  works  Mr.  Pomrif 
preachd  1  sermon  &  his  text  in  James  Chapter  5th  & 
12  verce  Stephen  child  had  a  post  to  Albany  and  sot 
out  this  day  one  regular  com  in  that  was  a  fishing  at 
half  way  Brook. 

Monday  18th.  I  was  to  work  over  to  the  Block  House 
and  took  my  Farewel  of  working  their  &  all  our  sick 
were  drawd  up  &  som  dischargd. 

Tuesday  19th.  4  of  our  company  had  a  final  dis- 
charge from  the  Campain  &  sot  of  home  Seth  Bassit 
Jonathan  Corbin  John  Peak  &  Silas  Hoges. 

Wednesday  20th.  Stil  Here  the  main  of  us  &  Noth- 
ing remarkable  only  almost  all  our  Woodstock  men 
came  up  &  with  great  Joy  we  recived  them  &  much 
more  the  things  that  were  sent  us,  I  receved  a  letter 
from  Ben  Lyon. 

Thursday  21st.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

Friday  22nd.  Our  Woodstock  Old  melishat  sot  out 
home  &  Lieutenant  Smith  &  Corperal  Peak  &  Wil- 
liam Mercy  &  Samuel  Leavins  had  a  pass  to  Albany 
and  went  with  them  along  down  and  Many  more  that 
did  not  Belong  to  our  Company. 

*  Fascines — bundles  of  sticks,  mixed  with  earth,  and  used  for 
filling  ditches  in  the  construction  of  forts.  t  Pomeroy.  |  Militia. 


36  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Saturday  23d.  Our  Post  came  up  and  I  received  a 
Letter  from  home. 

Sonday  24th.  Mr.  Pomry*  preachd  one  sermon  in 
the  mddle  of  the  day  so  that  the  work  men  might  Have 
som  opportunity  to  hear  gom  his  text  was  in  Ezekiel 
the  37  Chapter  &  36  verce  I  was  to  work  upon  the 
Island  &,  I  heard  part  of  the  sermon.f 

Monday  25.  Nothing  remarkable  only  Stephen  Lyon 
got  hurt  Samuel  Morris  &  Chub  went  down  along  to 
Albany. 

Tuesday  26th.  One  scout  went  out  for  3  days  this 
day  a  great  number  of  teams  came  down  from  the  Lake. 

Wednesday  27th.  The  Thompson  men  that  came  up 
to  see  us  sot  out  for  newingland  and  sergent  Cromba 
had  a  pass  to  Albany  &  went  down  along. 

Thursday  28th.  Nothing  remarkable  only  the  scout 
came  in  that  went  out  for  3  days. 

Friday  29th.  Nothing  remarkable  only  very  long  or- 
ders &c. 

Saturday  30th.  Nothing  remarkable  only  the  criss- 
t  of  the  Royal  Block  House  and  the  whole  of  our 


rigiment  that  were  able  went  over  to  work  and  had  a 
good  frolick  to  drink  the  Men  in  Jeneral  worked  well 
at  the  intrenching  round  the  Block  House  the  trench 
3  foot  deep. 

*  Pomeroy. 

t  The  channel  between  Rogers's  island,  on  which  the  great  block- 
house was  built,  and  Fort  Edward,  does  not  exceed  two  hundred  feet 
in  width. 

J  Christening. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN   WAR.  37 

Sonday  October  ye  1st.  Nothing  remarkable  but 
somthing  very  strange.  &  that  is  the  Camps  were  so 
stil  and  no  work  going  foward  nor  no  prayers  nor  no 
sermon  &  a  Jil  of  Rum  into  the  Bargain  this  we  had 
from  the  Jenerals  our  month  promised  to  us  yesterday 
Mr.  Pomri  went  down  to  Seratoga  to  see  his  son  that 
was  sick  and  to  day  he  come  back  &c. 

Monday  ye  2nd.  All  the  rigiment  that  were  able  to 
work  went  over  to  the  Block  House  besides  what  wos 
upon  guard  and  'they  were  divided  into  4  parties  and 
they  that  got  don  first  was  to  have  the  Best  fat  sheep 
1  sheep  to  each  party  I  was  upon  the  grass  Guard  & 
at  night  I  found  it  very  tedious  Lying  out  for  it  stormed 
exceding  hard  all  night. 

Tuesday  ye  3rd.  Our  mes  being  all  of  duty  we  made 
us  up  2  Straw  bunks  for  4  of  us  to  lay  in  and  as  it  hap- 
ened  we  did  it  in  a  good  time  for  it  was  a  very  cold 
night. 

Wednesday  ye  4th.  Being  very  cold  Corperal  San- 
ger  &  Eliezer  Child  had  a  pas  down  to  Albany  &  Like- 
wise a  small  scout  went  for  Number  four  &  we  made 
our  chimney  serjant  Kimbal  was  broke  and  turned  into 
the  ranks. 

Thursday  5th.  Jeneral  Ambross*  arrived  at  Fort  Ed- 
ward about  12  a  clock  &  immediately  he  went  of  to 
the  Lake  nothing  more  remarkable  to  day. 

Friday  6th.  Henry  Lyon  and  Ephraim  Ellinghood 
poorly  and  cleared  from  duty  3  men  whipt  about  3 
*  General  Amherst. 


38  MILITARY   JOURNAL. 

hundred  lashes  apeace  &  1  woman  2  &  50  Lashes  on 
bear  rump. 

Saterday  7th.  Our  Picket  went  up  toward  the  Half 
way  brook  to  meet  jeneral  Ambros*  &  about  3  a  clock 
he  arrived  at  Fort  Edward  and  at  2  a  clock  the  pick- 
et went  down  with  him  again  and  his  wagon  &  6 
horses. 

Sonday  8.  In  the  fore  noon  all  our  men  upon  works 
in  the  afternoon  we  were  aloud  to  attend  meeting  & 
Mr  Pomyf  Preached  one  sermon  &  his  text  was  in 
Ezekiel  36  &  37  verce  our  family  this  day  had  a  great 
rariryty  for  diner  and  that  was  a  Bild  Puden. 

Monday  9.  Nothing  remarkable  among  us  this  day. 

Tuesday  10.  I  was  upon  Guard  and  a  very  stormy 
day  &/  Night  it  was  orders  came  out  strickt  that  all 
fires  should  be  put  out  by  8  of  the  clock  in  the  morn- 
ing and  not  to  have  no  more  til  6  at  night  &/  they  that 
dont  obey  the  orders  are  to  have  their  chimney  tore 
down  &/  not  to  have  no  other  during  this  campaign 
Colonel  Fitch  lost  a  Barrel  of  wine. 

Wednesday  llth.  Stil  warm  &>  wet  som  of  our  Rigi- 
ment  discharged  Home  but  none  of  our  company. 

Thursday  12.  A  very  clear  cold  morning  all  our  men 
upon  works  &>  upon  guard  that  were  able  Colonel 
Harts  Rigiment  of  the  Hampshier  march  down  to  Fort 
Edward  in  order  for  Home. 

Friday  13th.  All  our  men  upon  works  again  to  day 
3  dischargd  vis  Richard  jordin,  Stephen  Lyon  &  John 
*  Amherst.  t  Pomeroy. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  39 

Howlet,  at  night  300  of  the  Bay  men  came  down  sick 
&/  2  of  them  that  carrad  their  packs  died  in  the  night. 

Saturday  14th.  All  warned  out  upon  works  but  the 
stormy  wether  defeted  them  in  it  the  Regulars  which 
came  down  from  the  Lake  with  us  have  orders  to 
march  next  friday  down  along  in  order  for  their  winter 
quorters  at  Hallefax*  this  night  the  sentry  which  stood 
at  the  Southerd  of  the  store  House  spied  a  man  a  git- 
ting  of  Flour  and  he  haild  him  3  times  but  he  would 
not  stop  and  the  sentry  fired  but  did  not  hit  him  &  in 
his  hurry  he  left  his  torn  me  hawkf  &/  one  shoe. 

Sonday  ye  15.  Very  cold  all  upon  works  &  guard 
by  son  rise  this  evening  their  carne  in  a  great  number 
of  teams  &>  Samuel  Peak  Brought  the  malancoly  news 
of  Stephen  Childs  being  Kilde  and  skulpt^  and  another 
Captivated  I  was  out  upon  the  grass  guard. 

Monday  16th.  All  upon  works  &/  all  the  teams  sot 
of  for  the  Lake  12  men  taken  from  the  quorter  guard 
to  guard  teams  this  evening  there  came  in  a  great  num- 
ber of  waggons  and  hundred  or  better. 

Tuesday  17th.  Being  very  pleasant  in  the  Morning 
then  showery  &/  wet  all  the  rest  of  the  day  til  10  a 
clock  at  knight — about  12  oclock  at  night  the  teams 
came  in  with  the  Artillira — this  day  a  number  of  our 
men  went  down  to  Fort  Miller  in  battoes  to  carry  the 
sick  and  Cap.ns  Bag  went  down  &  the  men  stayed  out. 

Wednesday  18th.  Being  cold  the  teams  sot  out  for 
the  Lake  —  about  40  of  the  Kings  waggons — this  af- 

*  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia.  t  Tomahawk.  f  Scalped. 


40  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

ternoon  their  was  a  Lobster*  Corperel  married  to  a 
Road  Island  whore  —  our  men  came  in  from  Fort 
Miller. 

Thursday  19th.  Our  rigiment  was  mustered  by  9 
a  clock  in  the  morning  &/  our  Brigade-major  cald  over 
the  role  of  each  company  and  after  that  we  had  a  drink 
of  flipf  for  working  over  at  the  Royal  Block  House  — 
atone  of  the  clock  our  men  were  all  calld  to  work — 
A  Court  morshol  held  at  Capt.  Holmes  tent  &  Captain 
Holmes  President  &  at  the  role  of  the  Pickit  guard 
their  was  one  Isac  Ellis  whipt  30  stripes — was  to  had 
50 — Col.  Henmanst  men  came  in  loaded  with  Artil- 
lira  stores. 

Friday  20th.  Cold  stil  &  our  men  all  upon  works — 
this  afternoon  Lieut.  Smith  came  up  to  us  again  from 
Green  Bush,  &/  Shubal  child  came  to  his  team. 

Saturday  ye  21st.  Still  cold — in  the  morning  our 
men  cald  out  to  work  by  sonrise  or  before  &  6  of  our 
company  viz.  David  Bishop  Ephraim  Ellingwood  Sam- 
uel Mercey  Nathaniel  Abbott  David  Jewet  and  Drake 
marched  of  with  their  Packs — this  night  their  came 
down  a  great  number  of  teams  from  ye  Lake  here 
loded  with  cannon  Balls  and  Bum  shells.  Likewise  a 
number  of  sick  came  down. 

Sonday  22.  The  teams  set  out  for  ye  Lake  again 
-I  was  upon  the  quarter  guard — a  large  number  of 

*  British  regular. 

t  A  mixture  of  beer  and  rum,  warmed  by  tbrusting  a  bot  iron 
into  it.  |  Hinman's. 


FRENCH    AND    INDIAN   WAR.  41 

sick  sot  out  for  Home  &  it  yet  held  cold  &  at  night 
it  cleared  of  very  clear  &>  stil  but  very  fresing  cold  & 
a  black  frost. 

Monday  ye  23rd.  I  come  of  guard  —  Clerk  Burrows 
began  his  Month  with  bess — at  night  3  rigiments  of 
Province  men  came  down  from  ye  Lake  &  Lodged  in 
the  wood  near  the  uper  Block  House — a  number  of 
teames  down  from  ye  Lake  Loaded  with  Artilliry  stores. 

Tuesday  24th.  A  number  of  teames  started  for  ye 
Lake  again — I  received  2  Letters  from  Capt.  Benjamin 
Lyon  &  1  from  Joshua — the  Post  came  up  yesterday 
to  Fort  Edward  —  This  day  our  drawing  &/  we  had 
good  pork  —  3  rigiments  of  Bay  men  moved  down 
along  which  was  Colonel  Pribbels*  Colonel  Williams 
&  Colonel  Nichols. 

Wednesday  25th.  Jineral  Abbacromba  arived  at 
Fort  Edward  near  night  and  all  our  rigiment  there 
were  of  duty  were  ordered  to  be  out  upon  the  perrade 
with  their  side  arms  on  but  the  jineral  for  Bid  it — Col.l 
Partrages  rigiment  came  down  &  some  of  the  Lather 
caps  &  stayed  Here. 

Thursday  ye  26th.  Stormy  morning — snow  pretty 
wet  &  raw  cold — I  went  upon  the  pickit  last  night 
and  had  one  Quort  of  rum  for  keeping  sheep. 

Friday  27th.  Being  lowry  &  wet  one  of  our  men 
Discharged  home  &  sot  of — Nathaniel  Barnes  a  num- 
ber of  teams  sot  out  for  the  Brook  &  returned  again 
before  son  down. 

*  Prebles. 


42  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Saterday  28th.  Being  stil  cold  all  our  men  turned 
out  to  work  son  rise  &  that  want  a  Nuf  &  they  sent 
for  every  weighter*  &  every  one  that  belongs  to  the 
rigiment — a  number  of  teams  sot  out  down  Home  w^ard 
&  3  of  our  company  went  with  them  viz.  Sergt.  Armsba 
Jonathan  Child  and  Pain  Convis — this  after  noon  the 
orders  came  out  that  every  setlert  that  Belongs  to  the 
Provinshols  should  Quit  this  place  by  the  first  of  No- 
vember. 

Sonday  ye  29th.  Rany  &  wet — about  9  o  clock  in 
the  morning  Every  man  in  the  Rigiment  that  could  go 
went  to  the  fallst  to  help  Draw  down  the  battoes  and 
very  muddy  it  was. 

Monday  ye  30th.  Being  very  pleasant  in  the  morn- 
ing we  were  all  turned  out  after  Battoes  up  to  the  falls 
&  we  went  twice  apeace. 

Tuesday  ye  31st.  All  our  men  turned  out  by  the 
Revallies||  Beating  to  go  after  Battoes  &  jineral  Pro- 
vorce§  was  out  amongst  our  tents  to  help  turn  us  out 
&  he  said  it  was  the  last  work  we  should  do  that  was 
flung  up  to  day — I  went  upon  the  Quarter  guard  at 
noon  and  they  got  down  all  the  Battoes. 

Wednesday  November  ye  1st.  Lowry  &  wet  I  come 
of  guard  our  men  all  upon  works  &  3  rigiments  of  our 
Conneticuts  came  down  about  noon  &  Colonel  Whi- 
tings had  orders  to  go  over  to  the  Royal  Block  House 

*  Waiter.  t  Sutler. 

|  The  "  third  fall,"  as  it  was  called,  in  the  Hudson,  at  Sandy  Hill. 

||  Reveille.  §  Provost. 


FRENCH   AND    INDIAN   WAR.  43 

and  their  to  remain  til  further  orders  and  tother  2 
rigiments  Sot  of  Home  in  Battoes  &  2  or  3  rigiments 
of  lobsters — we  had  orders  com  out  that  we  should 
have  2  days  to  clean  up  in  &  to  set  for  Home  on  Son- 
day — this  day  I  wrote  a  Letter  &  sent  to  John. 

Thursday  ye  2nd.  Very  cold — our  men  turned  out 
to  cutting  fashheens  &  the  orders  were  that  it  was  the 
last  days  work  that  we  should  do. 

Friday  ye  3d.  Very  cold  —  our  men  all  turned  out 
upon  works  notwith  Standing  yesterdays  promise  — 
our  men  had  but  poor  incouragements  to  work  &  laid 
but  Little  weight  to  what  the  jineral  promised  them  for 
he  said  the  first  man  that  disobeyed  his  orders  again 
should  be  shot  to  death  whatsoever  soldier  or  officer. 

Saturday  4th.  I  was  orderly  after  the  jineral  &  our 
men  all  to  work  a  drawing  in  Canon  into  the  fort  & 
our  quorter  guard  was  not  releaved  til  after  noon  & 
after  that  orders  com  out  that  we  should  strike  our 
tents  by  8  oclock  and  be  ready  to  march  by  9  —  one 
Gimbals  got  his  discharge  from  the  regular  service  to 
day. 

Sonday  ye  5th.  Being  very  cold  it  began  to  rain  so 
that  we  were  detained  but  Colonel  Whiting  Marched 
of — rainy  all  day  Long — we  had  orders  to  be  ready 
to  march  at  7  Oclock  in  the  morning. 

Monday  ye  6th.  Cloudy  stil — at  8  Oclock  we  struck 
our  tents  &  at  9  aclock  we  marched  of  &  about  half 
after  12  we  arrivd  at  Fort  Miller  and  made  a  little  stop 
then  marched  again  and  arived  at  Saratoga  Son  about 


44  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

one  hour  high  &  made  no  stop  their  but  marched  on 
about  3  mile  &/  Encampt  in  the  woods. 

Friday  ye  10th.  Very  stormy  &  snow  in  the  Morn- 
ing— we  drawd  2  days  alowance  of  provissions  but  no 
money  and  about  2  o  clock  we  sot  out  from  Green  Bush 
&  arivd  at  Cantihook  Town  about  ten  a  clock  at 
knight — 13  of  us  &  Lieutenant  Larnard. 

Saturday  llth.  From  thence  we  marched  son  two 
Hours  high  &  arivd  at  John  Hug  gar  Booms*  &  re- 
vived our  selves  a  little  &  bought  som  rum  that  be- 
longed to  Colonel  Whitens  Rigiment  &  from  thence  to 
Love  Joys  &  went  to  supper  &  from  thence  to  Rob- 
berses  &  lodged  their  in  the  Patterroon  lands.f 

Sonday  12th.  Being  stil  cold  we  sot  out  at  Son  rise 
&  arived  at  Bushes  -in  Sheffield  and  had  a  good  brec- 
first  &  their  was  moore  with  Horses  &  from  thence  to 
Larrances  &  revivd  our  selves  their — to  Coles  & 
thence  to  Seggick  in  Cornwel  &  then  to  Wilcocks  in 
Goshen  &/  Lodged  their. 

Monday  13th.  Cold -I  com  up  to  Holleboate  &  sent 
my  Pack  a  long  from  goshen  &  then  we  marched  and 
arived  at  Litchfield  &  then  to  Herrintown  to  Wiers  & 
from  their  to  Strongs  in  Farmingtovvn  &  Lodged  their. 

Tuesday  14th.  Very  cold  &  frosty — marched  5  mile 
through  the  Meadows  &  went  to  Brecfast  and  com  to 
Mercies  and  stayed  their  &  capt.n  Holmes  came  up. 

Wednesday  15th.  We  marched  &  arived  at  Chenys 
in  Bolton  and  from  thence  we  marched  and  Arived  at 
*  Hogeboom's.  See  note,  page  13. 


FRENCH   AND    INDIAN   WAR.  45 

Lees  in  covantry*  &  Lodged  their — very  rainy  Ste- 
phen Lyon  met  us  with  the  Horses. 

Thursday  16th.  Being  warm  &  pleasant  we  arived 

at  Woodstock. 

*  Coventry. 

NOTE. — The  soldiers  had,  necessarily,  a  great  deal  of  leisure 
during  permanent  camp-duties,  and  contrived  various  ways  to  amuse 
themselves,  and  "  kill  time."  In  those  days  the  common  soldiers 
carried  their  powder  in  the  horns  of  cows  or  oxen,  and  many  amused 
themselves  by  ornamenting  them  by  a  skilful  use  of  their  knives. 
Below  is  a  specimen  of  one  of  these  ornamented  horns,  prepared 
during  the  campaign  of  1758.  Upon  it  is  neatly  cut  the  figure  of  a 
fortified  building  (a  part  of  which  is  seen  in  the  engraving),  the 
owner's  name,  and  a  verse,  as  follows :  — 

"  Elnathan  Ives  His  Horn,  Made  at  Lake  George,  September  ye 
22d,  Ad.  1758. 

"I,  powder,  With  My  Brother  Baul 
A  Hero  like  do  Conquer  All. 
Steel  not  this  Horn  For  Fear  of  Shame 
For  on  it  is  the  Oners  name. 
The  Roos  is  Red,  the  Grass  is  Green  — 
The  Days  Are  past  Which  I  Have  Seen  " 


A    JOUBNAL   FOR    1775,  A.  D. 


INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS, 


THE  following  is  a  literal  transcript  of  a  Journal 
kept  by  a  common  soldier  named  SAMUEL  HAWS,  of 
Wrentham,  Massachusetts,  who  appears  to  have  been 
one  of  the  minute-men,  organized  toward  the  close  of 
1774  and  early  in  1775.  At  that  time  there  were  about 
three  thousand  British  troops  in  Boston,  under  General 
Thomas  Gage,  who  was  also  governor  of  the  colony 
of  Massachusetts.  He  was  popularly  regarded  as  an 
oppressor ;  and  act  after  act  of  the  British  government, 
during  a  year  preceding,  had  convinced  the  American 
people  that  they  must  choose  the  alternative  to  submit 
or  fight.  They  resolved  to  fight,  if  necessary.  During 
the  summer  of  1774,  the  people  commenced  arming, 
and  training  themselves  in  military  exercises  ;  the  man- 
ufacture of  arms  and  gunpowder  was  encouraged ;  and 
throughout  Massachusetts,  in  particular,  the  people 
were  enrolled  in  companies,  and  prepared  to  take  up 
arms  at  a  moment's  warning.  From  this  circumstance 
they  were  called  "  MINUTE-MEN." 

With  his  strong  force,  Gage  felt  quite  certain  that 
he  could  suppress  the  threatened  insurrection,  and  keep 
the  people  quiet.  Yet  he  felt  uneasy  concerning  the 
gathering  of  ammunition  and  stores  by  the  patriots  at 
Concord,  sixteen  miles  from  Boston ;  and  on  the  night 

4 


50  INTRODUCTORY   REMARKS. 

of  the  18th  of  April,  1775,  he  sent  a  detachment  of  sol- 
diers to  seize  them.  They  proceeded  by  the  way  of 
Lexington,  where  they  arrived  at  dawn  of  the  19th. 
The  expedition  became  known,  and  the  country  was 
aroused.  When  the  British  approached  Lexington, 
they  were  confronted  by  about  seventy  minute-men. 
A  skirmish  ensued  :  eight  patriots  were  killed,  and  sev- 
eral were  wounded.  That  was  the  first  bloodshed  of  the 
devolution.  The  British  then  went  on  to  Concord,  to 
seize  the  stores,  where  they  were  again  confronted  by 
minute-men.  Indeed,  they  had  been  annoyed  all  the 
way  by  them,  as  they  fired  from  behind  buildings, 
stone- walls,  and  trees.  They  destroyed  the  stores,  and 
in  a  skirmish  killed  several  more  American  citizens. 
The  country  was  now  thoroughly  aroused,  and  the 
minute-men  hastened  toward  Lexington  and  Concord 

O 

from  all  directions.  The  British  found  it  necessary  to 
retreat,  and  nothing  saved  the  whole  troop  sent  out  the 
night  before  from  utter  destruction,  but  a  strong  rein- 
forcement under  Lord  Percy.  The  whole  body  re- 
treated hastily  to  Charlestown,  and  across  to  Boston, 
with  a  loss,  in  killed  and  wounded,  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-three  men.  Intelligence  of  the  tragedy  soon 
spread  over  the  country,  and  from  the  hills  and  valleys 
of  New  England  thousands  of  men,  armed  and  un- 
armed, hastened  toward  Boston,  and  formed  that  force 
(of  which  our  Journalist  was  one)  that,  for  nine  months, 
kept  the  British  army  prisoners  upon  the  peninsulas  of 
Boston  and  Charlestown.  By  common  consent,  Arte- 
mas  Ward,  a  soldier  of  the  French  and  Indian  war, 
was  made  commander-in-chief,  and  he  performed  the 
duties  of  that  office  with  zeal  until  he  was  superseded 
by  Washington,  early  in  July,  1775. 

L> 


A  JOTMAL  FOR  1775. 


FAC-SIMILE  OF  A  POETION  OF  THK  MANUSCRIPT  JOUKNAL. 

WRENTHAM,*  April  the  19. 

About  one  a  clock  the  minute  menf  were  alarmed 
and  met  at  Landlord  Moons  We  marched  from  there 
the  sun  about  half  an  our  high  towards  Roxbury  for 
we  heard  that  the  regulars  had  gone  out  and  had  killed 
six  men  and  had  wounded  Some  more  that  was  at  Lex- 
inton  then  the  kings  troops  preceded  to  concord  and 
there  they  were  Defeated  and  Drove  Back  fiting  as 
they  went  they  gat  to  charlstown  hill  that  night:}:  We 
marched  to  headens  at  Walpolej|  and  their  got  a  little 

*  In  Norfolk  county,  Massachusetts,  thirty-two  miles  southwest 
from  Boston. 

t  See  introductory  remarks.  The  skirmishes  at  Lexington  and 
Concord  occurred  early  in  the  morning  of  this  day 

|  See  introductory  remarks. 

||  Twenty-one  miles  from  Boston. 


52  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

refreshment  and  from  their  we  marched  to  Doctor  che- 
neys  and  their  we  got  some  victuals  and  Drink  and 
from  thence  we  marched  to  Landlord  clises  at  Ded- 
ham*  and  their  captain  parson  and  company  joined  us 
and  then  we  marched  to  Jays  and  their  captain  Boyd 
and  company  joined  us  and  we  marched  to  Landlord 
Whitings  vi  e  taried  their  about  one  hour  and  then  we 

O 

marched  to  richardes  and  Searched  the  house  and  found 
Ebenezer  aldis  and  one  pery  who  we  supposed  to  Be 
torys  and  we  searched  them  and  found  Several  Let- 
ters about  them  which  they  were  a  going  to  cary  to 
Nathan  aldis  in  Boston  but  makeing  them  promis  ref- 
ormation We  let  them  go  home  then  marching  forward 
we  met  colonel  gratonf  returning  from  the  engage- 
ment which  was  the  Day  before  and  he  Said  that  he 
would  be  with  us  amediately  then  we  marched  to  Ja- 
micai  plaint  their  we  heard  that  the  regulars  Were  a 
coining  over  the  neck||  then  we  striped  of  our  coats 

*  Thirteen  miles  from  Boston. 

t  Colonel  John  Greaton.  He  was  a  bold  officer,  and  commanded 
a  corps  which  performed  a  sort  of  ranger  service.  At  this  time  he 
was  only  a  major.  In  June  following  he  carried  off  about  eight 
hundred  sheep  and  lambs,  and  some  cattle,  from  Deer  island.  About 
that  time  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel.  In  the  middle 
of  July,  he  led  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  men,  in  whaleboats,  to 
destroy  forage  and  other  property  on  Long  island,  in  Boston  harbor ; 
and  at  one  time  he  captured  a  barge  belonging  to  a  British  man-of- 
war.  In  April,  1776,  he  accompanied  General  Thompson  to  Can- 
ada. He  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigadier  in  the  continental 
army,  in  January,  1783. 

J  Jamaica  Plain,  six  miles  from  Boston. 

||  The  isthmus  that  connected  the  peninsula  of  Boston  with  the 
main,  at  Roxbury. 


THE    WAR    FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  53 

and  marched  on.  with  good  courage  to  Colonel  Wil- 
liams and  their  we  heard  to  the  contrary  We  staid 
their  some  time  and  refreshed  our  Selves  and  then 
marched  to  Roxbury  parade  and  their  we  had  as  much 
Liquor  as  we  wanted  and  every  man  drawd  three  Bis- 
cuit which  were  taken  from  the  regulars*  the  day  be- 
fore which  were  hard  enough  for  flints  We  lay  on 
our  arms  until  towards  night  and  then  we  repaired  to 
Mr.  Slaks  house  and  at  night  Six  men  were  draughted 
out  for  the  main  guard  nothing  strange  that  night. 

D  21.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

D  22.  Nothing  Strange  this  D  nor  comical. 

D  23.  Being  Sabath  day  we  marched  on  to  the  pa- 
rade their  was  an  alarm  this  night  but  it  prouved  to  be 
a  falce  one  Some  of  our  men  went  to  Weymoth.f 

D  24.  Nothing  strange  to  day. 

D  25.  Nothing  remarkable  to  day. 

D  26.  We  were  guarded  and  a  party  draughted  out 
for  the  mane  guard. 

D  27.  The  inlistment  came  out  to  inlist  men  for  the 
masechusetts  Service  Some  of  our  minute  men  in- 
listed  the  Same  day  but  captain  Pond  went  home  and 
several  of  his  company  they  went  as  far  as  Doctor 
cheanys  that  night  and  the  next  morning  reached  home 
'on  monday  the  company  were  called  together  in  order 
to  inlist  men  Lietunant  messenger  with  a  party  went 

*  The  British  soldiers  were  all  called  regulars.  This  word  de- 
notes soldiers  belonging  to  the  regular  army,  as  distinguished  from 
militia. 

t  Twelve  miles  southeast  from  Boston. 


54  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

down  to  Roxbury  and  we  Still  remaing  in  Mr.  Slaks 
house  also  on  the  same  day  their  war  four  tories  caried 
throug  roxbury*  to  cambriggf  from  marshfield^:  and 
their  was  a  great  Shouting  when  they  came  through 
the  camp. || 

ft  28.  This  day  our  regement  paraded  and  went 
through  the  manuel  exesise  then  we  grounded  our  fire- 
locks and  every  man  set  down  by  their  arms  and  one 
abial  Petty  axedentely  discharged  his  peace  and  shot 
two  Balls  through  the  Body  of  one  asa  cheany  through 
his  Left  side  and  rite  rist  he  Lived  about  24  hours  and 
then  expiredyhe  belonged  to  Walpole§  and  he  was  car- 
ied their  and  Buried  on  the  30  day  of  April  on  Sunday 
after  meting  this  young  man  was  but  a  few  days  Be- 
fore fired  at  by  one  main  guard  in  atempting  to  pass 
the  guard  and  was  not  hurt  in  the  least. 

D  29.  About  nine  o  clock  the  said  cheney  died  about 
fore  in  the  afternoon  We  had  another  alarm  but  their 
was  nothing  done. 

30th.  Being  the  Lord's  day  we  went  to  meeting  and 
heard  Mr.  Adams*|[  and  he  preached  a  very  Sutable 
Sermon  for  the  ocation. 

*  One  mile  from  Boston. 

t  Three  miles  northwest  from  Boston. 

|  Thirty-one  miles  southeast  from  Boston. 

||  Tories  were  those  who  adhered  to  the  British.     It  is  a  name  * 
derived  from  the  vocabulary  of  English  politics  in  the  time  of  Charles 
II.     A  fory,  then,  was  an  adherent  of  the  crown ;   a  whig  was  an 
opposer  of  the  government.     The  word  was  first  used  in  America 
about  1770. 

§  Twenty-one  miles  southwest  from  Boston. 

fl  Rev.  Amos  Adams,  a  minister  at  Roxbury.     He  was  a  graduate 


THE  WAR  FOR  INDEPENDENCE.  55 

MAY. 

Id.  Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 
2d-ll.  Nothing  of  consequence  hapened. 
12-14.  No  great  for  news. 
15,  16.  No  news  worth  mentioning. 

17.  At  night  their  was  a  fire  broke  out  in  Boston 
ocationed  by  the  kings  troops  that  were  a  dealing  out 
their  Stores  when  one  of  the  Soldiers  letting  a  candle 

O 

fall  amongst  some  powder  and  set  it  on  fire  which  oca- 
tioned the  Destruction  of  a  great  number  of  Buildings 
and  killed  some  Soldiers  and  destroyed  a  considerable 
deal  of  their  amunition  Besides  a  great  quantity  of 
flower. 

18,  19.  Nothing  very  remarkable. 

20.  Nothing  strange  to  day. 

21.  Being  Sunday  about   eight  o  clock   we   were 
alarmed  we  heard  that  the  regulars  were  a  landing  at 
Dorchester  Point  and  that  there  was  two  Lighters  gone 
to  Weymoth  Loaded  with  the  Kings  troops  but  it  was 
a  false  alarm  and  their  was  nothing  done.* 

of  Harvard  college.  He  died  of  dysentery,  which  prevailed  in  the 
camp,  at  Dorchester,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1775,  in  the  forty-eighth 
year  of  his  age. 

*  On  Sunday  morning,  the  21st  of  May,  the  British  commander 
sent  two  sloops  and  an  armed  schooner  to  take  off  a  quantity  of  hay 
from  Grape  island.  They  were  opposed  by  the  people  who  gathered 
on  the  point  nearest  the  island.  These  finally  got  two  vessels  afloat, 
went  to  the  island,  drove  the  British  off,  burnt  eighty  tons  of  hay, 
and  brought  off  many  cattle.  There  was  some  severe  fighting  during 
the  affair.  Mrs.  John  Adams.,  writing  to  her  husband,  said  :  "  You 
inquire  who  were  at  the  engagement  at  Grape  island.  I  may  say 


56  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

22.  Nothing  to  clay  for  news. 

23-26.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  27.  At  night  we  heard  the  report  of  cannon  and  of 
Small  arms  but  we  could  not  tell  from  whence  it  was.* 

the  28.  Being  Sunday  we  were  informed  that  the 
firing  we  heard  yesterday  was  at  Nedlersf  Island  be- 
tween the  Kings  troops  and  our  men,  our  men  killed 
several  of  them  and  took  a  number  of  field  pieces  and 
burnt  two  Schooners  and  they  did  not  hurt  any  of  our 
men. 

the  29.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  30.  Captain  Ponds  company  moved  to  comodore 
Lorings  house.:}: 

with  truth,  all  of  Weymouth,  Braintree,  and  Hingham,  who  were 

able  to  bear  arms Both  your  brothers  were  there ;  your 

younger  brother  with  his  company,  who  gained  honor  by  their  good 
order  that  day.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  venture  on  board  a 
schooner,  to  land  upon  the  island."  Mr.  Adams  was  then  in  the 
Continental  Congress,  at  Philadelphia. 

*  On  Saturday,  May  27th,  a  detachment  of  Americans  was  sent 
to  drive  all  the  live  stock  from  Hog  and  Noddle's  islands,  near  Bos- 
ton. They  were  observed  by  the  British,  who  despatched  a  sloop, 
a  schooner,  and  forty  marines,  to  oppose  them.  They  were  fired  on 
from  the  vessels,  and  quite  severe  skirmishing  continued  through  the 
night.  The  Americans  sent  for  reinforcements,  and,  at  about  nine 
o'clock  at  night,  some  three  hundred  men  and  two  pieces  of  cannon 
arrived,  commanded  by  General  Putnam  in  person,  and  accompanied 
by  Dr.  Warren  as  a  volunteer.  They  compelled  the  British  to 
abandon  their  sloop,  and  the  Americans  took  possession  of  it.  The 
British  lost  twenty  killed  and  fifty  wounded.  The  Americans  had 
none  killed,  and  only  four  wounded.  They  captured  twelve  swivels 
and  four  four-pound  cannon,  besides  clothing  and  money. 

t  Noddle's. 

J  Probably  the  house  of  Joshua  Loring,  jr.,  near  Roxbury,  who 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  5? 

the  31.  Being  election  daj  we  drank  the  Ladies 
health  and  success. 

June  the  1.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day. 

the  2-8.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened. 

the  9.  We  passed  muster  Before  colonel  Robinson* 
and  received  one  months  pay. 

the  10.  Their  was  a  man  Whiped  for  Stealing. 

the  11.  Their  was  a  soldier  died  at  the  hospittle 
which  was  the  first  that  had  died  of  Sickness  since  we 
incampt  the  same  day  their  was  two  fire  Shipsf  drumed 
out  of  the  rhodisland  compy. 

the  12.  Nothing  Strange  this  day. 

the  13.  Dito. 

the  14.  The  general^  seing  the  reinforcement  of  the 
Kings  troops  come  to  Boston  ordered  the  comps  to  be 
in  readeness  also  ordered  that  a  number  of  teams  be 
imploid  in  carting  fusheens||  and  other  materials  for 
building  Brest  Works  this  being  on  thursday. 

was  a  violent  loyalist.  General  Gage  made  him  sole  auctioneer  in 
Boston.  He  was  afterward  commissary  of  prisoners  in  New  York. 
His  wife  is  referred  to  in  Hopkinson's  poem,  "  The  Battle  of  the 
Kegs." 

*  Colonel  John  Robinson,  who  was  second  in  command  in  the  skir- 
mish at  Concord  on  the  19th  of  April.  He  commanded  the  detach- 
ment that  guarded  Boston  neck,  for  some  time.  Speaking  of  that 
duty,  Gordon  remarks  :  "  The  colonel  was  obliged,  therefore,  for  the 
time  mentioned,  to  patrol  the  guards  every  night,  which  gave  him  a 
round  of  nine  miles  to  traverse."  t  Harlots. 

}  General  Thomas,  who  had  command  of  the  right  wing,  extend- 
ing from  Roxbury  to  Dorchester.  General  Artemas  Ward  was  the 
commander-in- chief  until  the  arrival  of  Washington,  early  in  July 

||  Fascines.     See  note  on  page  35. 


58  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  15.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  16.  Nothing  of  consiquence  this  day. 
/  the  17.  It  being  Saturday  the  Kings  troops  Landed 
at  charlestown  and  set  the  whole  town  on  fire  and  Laid 
it  all  in  ashes  then  they  proceeded  to  Bunkers  hill* 
where  colonel  putnam  intrenchet  and  after  an  engage- 
ment which  Lasted  the  afternoon  the  troops  took  the 
Hill  and  it  is  said  that  the  nearest  computation  of  the 
Loss  of  the  enemy  was  about  1500  is  killed  and  wound- 
ed were  alarmed  about  one  o  clock  that  day  and  went 
down  to  our  alarm  post  and  we  lay  their  all  the  after- 
noon and  about  six  o  clock  the  troops  fired  from  their 
Brest  Work  on  Boston  neck  at  our  people  in  Roxbury 
and  we  staid  until  the  firing  was  over  and  then  our 
regiment  was  ordered  to  Cambridge  to  asisl  our  forces 
and  we  reached  their  about  twelve  o  clock  at  night  and 
Lodged  in  the  meting  house  until  break  of  day  being 

t  This  is  a  mistake.  It  was  Breed's  bill,  nearer  Charlestown  and 
Boston  than  Bunker's  hill.  Colonel  William  Prescott,  and  not  Gen- 
eral Putnam,  was  entrenched  there,  and  was  in  command  during  the 
engagement.  He  had  been  sent  with  a  company,  the  night  before, 
about  a  thousand  strong,  to  throw  up  a  redoubt  on  Bunker's  hill. 
He  made  a  mistake,  and  performed  the  work  on  Breed's  hill.  The 
British  had  no  suspicion  of  the  work  that  went  on  during  that  sultry 
June  night,  and  were  greatly  alarmed  when  they  saw  a  formidable 
breastwork  overlooking  their  shipping  in  the  harbor,  and  menacing 
the  city.  During  the  engagement,  General  Putnam  was  on  Bun- 
ker's hill,  urging  on  reinforcements  for  Prescott.  Dr.  Wan-en,  just 
appointed  major-general,  joined  Prescott  as  a  volunteer  during  the 
battle,  and  was  mortally  wounded  just  as  the  conflict  ended.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  the  writer  of  this  Journal  was  in  General 
Thomas's  division,  which  did  not  participate  in  the  battle  of  the  17th 
of  June. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  59 

Sunday  we  turned  out  and  marched  to  prosket  hill* 
expecting  to  come  to  an  ingagement  we  halted  at  a 
house  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  and  fixed  for  a  battle 
then  we  marched  up  the  hill  where  we  went  to  in- 
trenching about  12  o  clock  Some  of  our  men  went 
down  the  hill  towards  the  troops  after  Some  flower 
and  the  troops  fired  at  them  and  wounded  David  Tris- 
dale  in  the  shoulder  and  another  in  the  Leg  about  4 
o  clock  colonel  Reedf  ordered  his  regiment  to  march  to 
roxbury  and  we  arived  their  about  sunset  very  weary. 

the  19.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  20.  Dito. 

the  21.  Nothing  worth  a  mentioning. . 

the  22.  Dito. 

the  23.  Nothing  remarkable  to  day. 

the  24.  The  enemy  fired  again  upon  Roxbury  about 
3  o  clock  and  the  guards  fired  upon  each  other  and 
their  was  one  man  killed  and  we  were  alarmed.:}: 

*  Prospect  hill.  The  Americans  retreated  from  Breed's  and  Bun- 
ker's hills  to  Winter  and  Prospect  hills,  and  Cambridge.  The  re- 
mains of  the  American  entrenchments  on  Prospect  hill  were  demol- 
ished in  1817. 

t  Colonel  James  Reed,  of  New  Hampshire.  He  was  active  in  the 
battle  of  the  17th.  He  was  a  brave  officer,  and  was  at  the  head  of 
a  regiment  at  Ticonderoga  the  following  year. 

|  The  Americans  were  alarmed  on  the  24th  by  indications  that 
the  whole  British  army  in  Boston  was  about  to  force  its  way  across 
Boston  neck.  At  noon  they  commenced  throwing  bombshells  into 
Roxbury,  but  the  alert  soldiers  prevented  damage  from  them,  and 
saved  the  town.  Colonel  Miller,  of  Rhode  Island,  said  in  a  letter — 
"  Such  was  the  courage  of  our  men,  that  they  would  go  and  take  up 
a  burning  carcass  or  bomb,  and  take  out  the  fuse !" 


60  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  25.  Sunday  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  26.  This  morning  very  early  our  men  went  to 
set  Browns  house  on  fire  but  did  not  efect  it.* 

the  27.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  28.  We  moved  to  a  little  house  that  capt  Bligs 
formerly  Lived  in  but  we  Soon  moved  from  there  to 
Slaks  house  again. 

the  29.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  30.  Nothing  hapened  only  there  was  a  Smart 
shower. 

JULY. 

the  1.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  2.  Dito.f 

the  3.  Dito.i 

the  4.  Their  was  a  flag  of  truce  come  out  of  town 
to  our  centry  on  the  neck. 

the  5.  Nothing  worth  a  mentioning  to  day. 

the  6.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  7.  Early  in  the  morning  we  were  alarmed  and 
all  of  us  repaired  to  our  alarm  Post  and  we  had  not 

*  The  house  and  barns  of  Thomas  Brown  were  on  the  neck,  about 
a  mile  from  Roxbury  meeting-house,  and  were  occupied  by  the  Brit- 
ish advanced  guard.  Two  Americans  tried  to  set  fire  to  the  barn 
on  the  24th,  and  were  killed. 

t  The  British  again  hurled  some  shells  into  Roxbury  on  Sunday, 
the  2d  of  July,  but  the  extent  of  the  damage  was  setting  fire  to  one 
house,  which  was  consumed. 

J  George  Washington  was  chosen  command er-in-chief  of  the  con- 
tinental armies  on  the  15th  of  June,  1775.  He  set  out  for  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army  at  Cambridge  on  the  21st,  reached  there  on  the 
2d  of  July,  and  took  formal  command  of  the  army  on  the  morning 
of  the  3d. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  61 

been  their  Long  before  we  Saw  Browns  house  and 
Barn  on  fire  and  they  were  both  consumed*  these  were 
Set  on  fire  by  some  of  our  brave  ameracans  and  they 
took  one  gun  and  too  Bagonets  and  one  halbert. 

the  8,  9.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  10.  About  Eleven  o  clock  their  was  a  party  of 
Soldier  sent  to  germantownf  to  get  some  whale  Boats 
they  marched  down  their  that  night  the  next  night  being 
clear  they  set  out  for  Long  island  and  arived  there  in 
a  Short  time  then  they  Plundred  the  island  and  took 
from  thence  19  head  of  horned  cattle  and  a  number  of 
Sheep  and  three  Swine^:  also  eighteen  priseners  and 
amongst  them  were  three  women. 

the  11.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  12.  Major  Tupper  and  his  company  returned  to 
Roxbury  with  their  prisoners  and  the  same  day  their 
was  a  Party  draughted  out  to  go  to  Long  island  to 
burn  the  Buildings  their  when  they  were  atacked  by 
the  Kings  troops  and  had  a  smart  engagement)]  but  we 

*  A  party  of  volunteers,  under  Majors  Tupper  and  Crane,  attacked 
the  British  advanced  guards,  drove  them  in,  and  set  fire  to  Brown's 
house.  They  took  several  muskets,  and  retreated  without  loss. 

t  It  is  impossible  to  identify  this  place.  A  letter,  dated  on  the 
12th,  says,  "  We  have  just  got,  over  land  from  Cape  Cod,  a  large 
fleet  of  whaleboats,"  &c.,  &c.  The  place  alluded  to  in  the  text  was 
probably  near  Boston. 

\  This  party  went  from  Roxbury  camp.  The  report  says  that 
they  brought  from  Long  island  "  fifteen  prisoners,  two  hundred  sheep, 
nineteen  cattle,  thirteen  horses,  and  three  hogs."  The  prisoners 
were  taken  to  Concord. 

||  The  party  under  Colonel  Greaton,  mentioned  in  a  preceding 
note. 


62  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Lost  but  one  man  and  he  belonged  to  Captain  Persons 
company  of  Stoughton.* 

the  13.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  14.  Nothing  remarkable  untill  night  and  then 
their  was  a  man  killed  at  the  main  guard  with  a  canon 

Ball. 

i 

the  15-17.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  18.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day.f 

the  19.  We  had  an  alarm  and  we  went  to  our  alarm 
Post  and  stayed  their  about  one  hour  and  could  not 
discover  any  thing  and  so  we  returned  to  our  Baracks 
again. 

the  20.  Their  was  a  man  killed  who  belonged  to 
captain  Bachelors  company  in  Col  Reeds  Regiment  he 
was  killed  by  a  guns  going  accidentely  of,  he  was  shot 
about  Seven  o  clock  and  died  about  nine  o  clock  the 
same  night  his  name  was  Wood  Belonged  to  uptont 
he  was  about  24  or  25  years  of  age.|| 

the  21-24.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  25.  Our  Regement  with  four  more  were  under 
arms  and  marched  towards  cambridg  to  meet  general 
Ward. 

the  26.  General  Heaths  regement  "moved  from  Dor- 

*  Twenty  miles  south  from  Boston. 

t  A  strong  party  of  Americans  took  possession  of  an  advanced 
post  in  Roxbury,  upon  which  the  British  kept  up  an  incessant  fire. 

J  Upton  is  thirty-five  miles  southwest  from  Boston. 

||  The  20th  was  observed  throughout  the  camps  as  a  day  of  fast- 
ing and  prayer.  Before  daylight  that  morning,  a  party  from  Heath's 
regiment  landed  on  Nantasket  point,  set  fire  to  the  lighthouse,  and 
brought  away  a  thousand  bushels  of  barley  and  a  quantity  of  hay. 


THE    WAR    FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  63 

Chester  to  cambridg  and  Jeneral  Wards  regement  moved 
from  cambridg  to  Dorchester  and  took  general  Heath's 
Baracks. 

the  27.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  28.  Dito. 

the  29.  Nothing  bad. 

the  30.  Being  Sunday  we  had  an  alarm  and  went 
to  our  Fort*  the  same  day  there  was  a  party  of  men 
draughted  out  to  go  to  the  Light  house  an.d  major  tup- 
per  was  comander  of  the  party .f 

the  31.  This  day  major  tupper  and  his  men  returned 
to  Roxbury  with  between  thirty  and  forty  prisoners 
some  regulars  and  some  torys  and  some  mariens^  and 
had  something  of  a  battle  and  we  lost  one  man  and  an- 
other wounded  and  our  men  Burnt  the  Light  house  and 
took  some  plunder||  thar  was  an  alarm  the  firing  began 

*  This  was  a  very  strong  quadrangular  work,  on  the  highest  emi- 
nence in  Roxbury.  It  had  four  bastions,  and  in  every  respect  was 
a  regular  work.  It  is  now  well  preserved,  the  embankments  being 
from  six  to  fifteen  feet  in  height  from  without. 

t  On  that  day  the  British,  five  hundred  strong,  marched  over  the 
neck,  and  built  a  slight  breastwork  to  cover  their  guard.  The 
American  camp  was  in  alarm  all  the  day,  and  that  night  the  troops 
lay  on  their  arms.  The  tories  in  Boston  were  also  alarmed,  for  they 
dreaded  an  invasion,  of  the  city  by  their  exasperated  countrymen. 

|  Marines. 

||  The  British  commenced  rebuilding  the  lighthouse  on  Nantasket 
point.  Major  Tupper,  with  three  hundred  men,  attacked  the  work- 
ing-party, killed  ten  or  twelve  men,  and  took  the  rest  prisoners. 
He  then  demolished  the  works,  but,  before  he  could  leave,  some 
armed  boats  came  to  oppose  him.  In  the  skirmishing  that  ensued, 
fifty-three  of  the  British  were  killed  or  captured.  Tupper  lost  one 
man  killed,  and  two  wounded. 


64  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

first  at  the  floating  Battery  and  then  at  the  Brest  Work 
and  then  the  troops  marched  out  and  set  the  george 
tavern*  on  fire  our  men  took  one  prisoner  and  the  same 
night  one  of  the  enemy  deserted  and  came  to  our  cen- 
trys  at  Dorchester  point  and  brought  away  with  him 
too  guns  and  too  cartridg  Boxes  and  60  rounds  of  car- 
tridgs  all  in  good  order  and  their  was  several  more  de- 
serted to  cambridg  the  same  night. 

AUGUST  DOMINA.  1775. 

the  1.  The  floating  Battery!  went  up  towards  Brook- 
line  fortt  then  our  men  perceiving  her  move  they  began 
to  fire  at  her  out  of  colonel  Reeds  fort  untill  they  drove 
her  back  to  her  old  place  the  same  day  they  fired  from 
Roxbury  hill  fort  and  it  was  said  that  they  fired  through 
their  Baracks. 

the  2.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  3.  Dito. 

the  4.  Nothing  remarkable  to  day  only  I  went  to  the 
main  guard  and  the  enemy  fired  at  us  as  we  came  up. 

the  5.  Dito. 

the  6.  Being  Sunday  nothing  remarkable  at  night  I 
went  on  the  piquet  guard. 

*  A  party  of  British  troops  sallied  out  toward  Roxbury,  drove  in 
the  American  pickets,  and  burned  the  tavern  which  was  situated 
upon  the  portion  of  the  neck  nearest  Roxbury. 

t  When  the  British  built  their  breastwork  on  the  neck,  the  Sun- 
day previous,  they  had  a  floating  battery  brought  into  Charles  river, 
and  moored  it  within  three  hundred  yards  of  Sewall's  point. 

|  The  Brookline  fort  was  on  Sewall's  point,  between  Roxbury 
and  Cambridge.  It  commanded  the  entrance  to  Charles  river. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  65 

the  7.  Nothing  strange. 

the  8.  Dito. 

the  9.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day  only  I  went  upon 
fatigue. 

the  10.  Nothing  strange  We  had  a  great  rain. 

the  11.  Their  was  three  men  whipt  for  deserting 
they  were  whipt  ten  stripes  apiece  they  belonged  to 
the  conecticut  forces. 

the  12.  Nothing  remarkable  to  day  I  went  upon  fa- 
tigue to  Dorchester.* 

the  13.  Being  Sunday  we  went  to  Hear  Mr.  Wil- 
lardf  and  after  Meting  our  Men  went  to  Entrench 
down  at  the  George  tavern  and  About  Brake  of  day 
they  got  Horn. 

14.  Their  was  Nothing  Remarcable   I  went  upon 
fatigue  down  to  the  George  tavern. 

15.  Two  Oclock  this  Afternoon  when  the  Lobsters^ 
fired  on  our  guards  which  was  returned  by  our  Roxbu- 
ry  fort  the  fireing  was  continued  for  some  time  but  how 
much  to  their  Damag  we  dont  know  one  of  our  men 
was  slitely  wounded  their  fireing  was  from  a  floating 
Batery  and  it  is  thought  would  have  killed  one  or  too 
men  if  they  had  not  have  Lain  down  for  the  Ball 

*  The  village  and  church  of  Dorchester  was  four  miles  from  Boston. 
The  heights  of  Dorchester  are  in  what  is  now  called  South  Boston. 

t  Joseph  Willard,  D.D.,  who  was  made  president  of  Harvard  col- 
lege in  December,  1781.  He  died  in  New  Bedford,  in  1804,  at  the 
age  of  sixty -four  years. 

J  A  nickname  given  to  the  British  regulars,  on  account  of  their 
red  suits.  They  were  so  called  in  England,  as  early  as  the  time 
of  Queen  Anne. 

5 


66  MILITARY   JOURNAL. 

passed  within  about  4  foot  of  our  Barack  the  night 
passed  without  any  alarm. 

the  16.  This  day  they  fired  at  our  main  guard  but 
no  material  Damage  was  done  the  remaining  part  of 
their  mallice  seemed  to  be  postponed  to  a  future  sea- 
son our  american  guard  kept  their  ground  and  the 
night  passed  without  any  alarm  &c  &c. 

the  17.  About  nine  Oclock  the  enemy  fired  upon  our 
main  guard  and  fatigue  men  they  through  4  Balls  and 
2  Bombs  and  one  of  the  Balls  struck  2  guns  which  be- 
longed to  the  main  guard  and  the  men  had  them  on 
their  Shoulders  but  did  not  hurt  them  much. 

the  18.  Behold  their  Spite  this  morning  before  the 
sun  rise  the  enemy  fired  at  our  working  party  on  the 
neck  this  side  the  george  tavern  our  rifle  men  fired  at 
them  and  it  is  thought  killed  too  of  them  but  notwith- 
standing all  their  fireing  of  balls  and  bombs  though 
some  of  them  carne  so  near  that  it  could  hardly  be 
called  an  escape  yet  their  was  not  one  man  wounded 
on  our  side  one  bomb  was  thrown  in  the  evening  but 
did  no  Damage  one  of  the  enemy  came  to  our  centrys 
and  is  now  in  our  guard  house. 

the  19.  I  went  upon  fatigue  the  morning  began  with 
fireing  from  the  wicked  enemy  at  our  guard  but  did 
no  hurt  in  the  afternoon  they  rifle  men  fired  at  the  en- 
emy and  they  enemy  at  them  and  they  wounded  one 
of  the  rifle  men  in  the  foot  Slitely  but  what  Damage 
we  did  them  is  uncertain  let  this  Suffice  for  a  short 
acount  of  the  tranactions  of  the  19  day. 


THE    WAR    FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  67 

the  20.  I  went  upon  the  main  guard  at  night  our 
boats  went  up  with  in  gun  Shot  of  the  comon*  and 
alarmed  them  by  fireing  Several  guns  and  then  re- 
turned without  any  Loss  on  our  side, 

the  21.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  at 
night  one  of  the  enemy  deserted  and  came  to  us. 

the  22.  We  paraded  nothing  remarkable  I  went  down 
to  the  piquet. 

the  23,  24.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  25.  A  flag  of  truce  came  out  of  town  but  for 
what  I  dont  know. 

the  26.  This  morning  their  was  a  man  ran  away 
from  the  floating  battery. 

the  27.  Being  Sunday  but  they  make  such  a  fireing 
over  at  Bunkers  hill  that  it  seems  to  be  more  Like  the 
Kings  birth  day  than  Sunday  but  what  Sucks'ess  they 
have  had  we  are  not  able  to  to  determine  but  we  heard 
that  they  killed  too  men  and  wounded  3  or  4  four  more.f 

the  28.  But  they  still  hold  up  their  firing  at  Bunkers 
hill  nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

the  2|0 1  went  upon  the  piquet  down  to  the  george 
tavern  and  the  enemy  fired  several  small  arms  at  us 
but  did  us  no  Damage. 

*  The  large  park,  known  as  Boston  Common,  extended  down  to 
the  water's  edge,  before  the  flats  were  filled  in. 

t  About  nine  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning,  the  27th,  the  British 
opened  a  heavy  cannonade  from  Bunker's  hill  (where  they  had  built 
a  strong  redoubt),  and  from  a  ship  and  floating  battery  in  Mystic 
river.  The  firing  was  directed  upon  the  American  works  on  Win- 
ter, Prospect,  and  Ploughed  hills.  They  continued  to  bombard 
these  works  daily  until  the  10th  of  September. 


68  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  30.  Very  rainy  nothing  extraordinary  this  day. 

the  31.  Nothing  extraordinary  this  day  only  it  was 
rainy  at  night  Lieutenant  Foster  and  four  men  went 
down  to  the  piquet.* 

SEPTEM. 

the  1.  This  morning  very  early  just  past  oi*e  o  clock 
the  enemy  began  to  fire  from  their  Brest  Work  and 
their  floating  batery  which  ocationed  an  alarm  their 
fireing  Semed  to  be  at  our  main  guard  and  piquet  they 
fired  a  number  of  guns  and  threw  several  bombs  and 
they  were  permitted  to  kill  too  men  the  one  belongd  to 
Col  Huntingtonsf  Regement  and  the  other  belonged 

*  There  was  a  famous  tree  in  Boston,  under  which  the  patriots 
had  often  held  meetings  since  the  time  of  the  stamp-act  excitement. 
On  that  account  it  was  called  "  Liberty-Tree."  It  was  a  noble  elm, 
and  stood  at  the  corner  of  the  present  Washington  and  Essex  streets. 
/On  the  31st  of  August,  1775,  the  British  cut  it  down,  with  no  appa- 
rent motive  but  the  indulgence  of  petty  spite.  An  eye-witness  of  the 
event  says  :  "  After  a  long  spell  of  laughing  and  grinning,  sweating, 
/swearing,  and  foaming,  with  malice  diabolical,  they  cut  down  a  tree, 
because  it  bore  the  name  of  liberty."  A  tory  soldier  was  killed  by 
its  fall.  )A  poet  of  the  day  wrote :  — 

"A  tory  soldier,  on  its  topmost  limb — 
The  Genius  of  the  Shade  looked  stern  at  him, 
And  marked  him  out  that  same  hour  to  dine 
Where  unsnuffed  lamps  burn  low  at  Pluto's  shrine. 
Then  tripped  his  feet  from  off  their  cautious  stand : 
Pale  turned  the  wretch  —  he  spread  each  helpless  hand, 
But  spread  in  vain  —  with  headlong  force  he  fell, 
Nor  stopped  descending,  till  he  stopped  in  hell !" 

t  Colonel  Jedediah  Huntington,  of  Norwich,  Connecticut.  The 
British  now  seemed  determined  to  make  a  general  assault  upon  the 
besiegers,  and  a  heavy  cannonade  was  opened  simultaneously  upon 
the  Americans  at  Roxbury  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Cambridge. 


THE    WAR    FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  69 

to  col  Davidsons  Uegement  and  one  of  the  riflemen 
was  slitelj  wounded  but  see  the  Providence  of  god  in 
it  when  6  or  7  hundred  men  were  before  the  mouths 
of  their  canon  there  was  but  too  men  killed  We  should 
not  have  thought  it  strange  if  they  had  killed  20  con- 
sidering the  Situation  that  they  were  in  too  of  the  reg- 
ulars centry^  deserted  about  a  hour  before  the  firing 
began  this  was  the  smartest  fireing  that  ever  has  been 
this  campaign  in  the  afternoon  they  fired  upon  our  fa- 
tigue party  but  did  no  Damage  also  about  Sunset  there 
was  several  guns  fired  on  board  the  Ships  there  was 
several  Ships  came  in  to  the  harbour  thus  far  the  pro- 
ceding  of  the  1  day. 

the  2.  I  went  down  to  the  right  hand  of  the  burying 
place  and  we  had  not  been  their  Long  before  we  were 
ordered  of  and  the  canon  began  to  play  upon  the  ene- 
my from  Roxbury  fort  on  the  hill  and  the  field  peices 
from  the  brest  work  in  the  thicket  the  ocation  of  our 
mens  fireing  upon  them  was  this  they  had  advanced 
about  30  or  40  rods  this  side  their  other  brest  work  on 
the  neck  and  were  intrenching  their*  they  fired  sev- 
eral guns  at  us  but  did  us  no  Damage  in  the  afternoon 
we  went  down  to  our  work  again  expecting  every  mo- 
ment when  they  would  fire  at  us  but  they  never  fired 
one  gun  in  the  afternoon  at  night  thir  was  a  platform 
caried  down  to  the  thicket  in  order  to  mount  a  canon 
their  Nothing  more  remarkable  to  day. 

*  They  threw  up  a  slight  breastwork  a  little  in  advance  of  their 
lines  on  the  neck,  and  not  far  from  the  George  tavern. 


70  MILITARY   JOURNAL. 

the  3.  Being  Sunday  we  turned  out  about  day  and 
went  to  our  alarm  post  and  it  rained  and  we  cam  home 
and  John  cole  man  drinkt  3  pints  cyder  at  one  draught 
nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

the  4.  We  turned  out  this  morning  before  day  and 
went  to  our  alarm  post  nothing  remarkable  this  day  at 
night  I  went  upon  the  piquet  down  to  Lambs  Dam* 
nothing  more  remarkable. 

the  5.  Nothing  remarkable  only  Benjamin  Me  Lain 
sent  home  10  Letters  at  one  draught  by  Lieutenant 
Bacon  and  Lieutenant  Foster  had  Likt  to  have  been 
put  under  guard  for  playing  ball. 

the  6.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day  at  Night  our 
men  went  down  below  the  george  tavern  for  a  safe 
guard  for  the  centrys. 

the  7.  We  turned  out  early  this  morning  and  went 
to  our  alarm  post  and  had  a  smart  scrimmagef  with  no 
enemy  and  this  day  I  went  upon  the  creek  guard  sev- 
eral Ships  sailed  out  of  the  harbour  old  White  was 
buried  and  their  was  much  joy.:}: 

the  8.  Came  of  the  creek  guard  and  nothing  remark- 
able hapned  onely  they  enemy  fired  at  our  fatigue  par- 
ty but  did  no  damage  at  night  upon  the  door  guard. 

the  9.  In  the  morning  the  enemy  fired  upon  our  fa- 
tigue party  but  did  them  no  Damage  in  the  afternoon 

*  Lamb's  dam  was  between  Roxbuiy  and  Dorchester.  There 
the  Americans  completed  a  strong  work  on  the  10th  of  September, 
and  mounted  four  eighteen-pounders. 

t  Skirmish.  J  We  can  not  explain  this  local  allusion. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  71 

I  went  upon  fatigue  at  night  our  men  caried  Several 
canon  down  into  the  thicket  to  the  brest  works  their.* 

the  10.  Being  Sunday  our  men  went  on  fatigue  and 
the  enemy  fired  upon  them  and  broke  three  guns  that 
were  paraded  but  hurt  no  man  at  night  their  was  a 
man  deserted  from  cambridg  and  went  to  the  enemy. 

the  11.  We  turned  out  and  went  to  our  alarm  post 
and  Ensign  Parot  shook  one  of  his  men  for  disobying 
orders  this  day  their  was  a  boat'  drove  ashore  belong- 
ing to  the  regulars  and  a  Seargent  and  5  men  on  board 
and  they  were  all  taken  prisoners  at  night  I  wrent  upon 
the  piquet  and  was  almost  frozen  to  Death. 

the  12.  Our  men  went  down  to  Lambs  Dam  to  en- 
trenching not  above  half  a  mile  from  the  enemys  brest 
work  but  nothing  remarkable  hapened. 

the  13.  Colonel  Clap  officer  of  the  day  our  men  took 
this  day  26  prisoners  in  mistickf  river  as  we  heard.  • 

the  14.  This  morning  I  went  upon  fatigue  dov/n  in 
the  Street^  and  the  enemy  fired  one  shot  at  us  and 
struck  the  brest  work  but  did  no  Damage  captain  Pond|| 
comanded  of  the  party. 

the  15.  Their  was  a  regular  and  too  men  of  wars 
ran  away  Last  night  and  this  morning  nothing 


*  The  breastworks  in  the  thicket  were  the  Roxbury  lines  of  forti- 
fications in  advance  of  the  fort. 

t  Mystic. 

|  The  road  leading  from  Roxbury  across  the  neck  into  Boston. 

||  Captain  Pond  was  from  New  Hampshire,  and  was  an  officer  in 
Colonel  Stark's  regiment. 

§  From  the  vessels  known  as  men-of-war. 


72  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

more  remarkable  their  was  3  guns  fired  on  board  the 
Ship  in  cambridg  Bay. 

the  16.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  only  the  regu- 
lars fired  several  Shot  at  our  men  that  were  upon  fa- 
tigue but  did  no  Damage. 

the  17.  Being  Sunday  I  went  upon  the  fatigue  and 
the  enemy  fired  several  times  at  our  men  but  did  no 
Damage  and  they  threw  several  Bombs. 

the  18.  I  came  of  the  creek  guard  and  the  enemy 
fired  several  canon  at  our  men  but  killed  none  and 
onely  wounded  one  or  too  slitely  and  Last  night  their 
was  several  men  ran  away  from  a  man  of  war  and 
toward  night  the  enemy  fired  several  Shots  from  the 
Ship  in  cambridg  bay  and  our  men  fired  one  Shot  from 
Prospect  hill  at  the  Ship  in  the  Bay  but  did  not  strike 
her. 

the  19.  The  enemy  began  to  fire  about  eight  oclock 
into  the  street  but  did  no  damage  except  slitely  wound- 
ing one  or  too  at  night  I  went  upon  the  piquet  and 
Nothing  remarkable  hapened  also  their  was  a  man  put 
under  guard  for  comeing  on  to  the  parade  Drunk. 

the  20.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  the 
enemy  fired  one  shot  at  our  fatigue  party  but  did  no 
damage  they  fired  over  at  Bunkers  liill  and  threw  sev- 
eral Bombs. 

the  21.  Last  night  I  was  on  the  dodr  guard  and  this 
morning  the  enemy  fired  small  arms  at  our  men  but 
did  no  Damage  in  the  afternoon  they  fired  canon  but 
to  no  purpose. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  73 

the  22.  Last  night  I  was  upon  the  door  guard  this 
being  the  Kings  crownation*  the  enemy  fired  a  num- 
ber of  canon  and  toward  night  they  put  in  balls  but 
did  no  damage. 

the  23.  I  went  upon  fatigue  down  in  the  street  and 
the  Enemy  began  to  fire  at  us  about  9  oclock  and  fired 
without  intermition  for  some  time  bie  the  best  acounts 
they  fired  above  one  hundred  balls  and  our  men  fired 
3  canon  from  our  brest  work  near  Lams  Damb  and  one 
of  the  balls  went  into  Boston  amongst  the  housen  but 
)  through  the  good  hand  of  Devine  providence  in  all 
their  firing  they  did  not  kill  one  man  nor  wound  any 
except  one  or  too  slitely.f 

the  24.  Being  Sunday  we  went  to  meting  and  heard 
a  fine  Sermon  from  psalms  14-11  this  day  our  men 
went  on  fatigue  as  usual  but  the  enemy  did  not  fire 
upon  them. 

the  25.  I  went  on  fatigue  down  in  the  thicket  in  the 
forenoon  and  at  noon  I  was  taken  not  well  and  did  not 
go  in  the  afternoon  our  men  fired  three  field  peices  at 
the  enemy  but  what  execution  they  did  we  canot  deter- 
mine nothing  more. 

the  26.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  onely 
their  was  200  men  draughted  out  to  go  to  the  govern- 
ors Island  to  take  some  cattle. 

*  Coronation.  George  III.  and  his  wife  Charlotte  were  crowned 
on  the  22d  of  September,  1761.  It  was  always  a  holyday  next  to 
that  of  the  king's  birthday. 

t  Frothingham  says :  "  On  the  23d,  the  British  discharged  one 
hundred  and  eight  cannon  and  mortars  on  the  works  at  Roxbury 
without  doing  any  damage." 


74  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  27.  Our  men  went  to  the  Island  and  took  12 
head  of  Cattle  and  2  horses  and  came  of  without  any 
Molestation*  at  night  I  went  upon  the  piquet  and  it 
rained  very  hard 'and  we  turnd  in  to  the  housen  and 
La  their  Colonel  Clapf  was  officer  of  the  piquet. 

the  29.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  there 
was  too  guns  fired  from  the  ship  in  Cambrige  Bay. 

the  29.  This  day  the  Ship  sailed  out  of  Cambridge 
Bay  and  their  was  another  came  and  took  her  place  at 
night  I  went  on  the  piquet  without  any  supper  nothing 
remarkable. 

the  30.  This  morning  our  men  fired  one  field  peice 
as  the  regulars  came  to  relieve  their  main  guard  and 
that  afronted  them  and  they  began  to  fire  their  canon 
from  their  brest  work  and  floating  Batry  and  they  fired 
about  30  canon  but  did  no  damage  also  last  night  their 
was  too  regulars  deserted  and  came  to  our  centrys  on 
the  neck  nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

OCTOBER  A  1775. 

the  1.  Being  Sunday  I  went  to  meting  up  to  the  con- 
ecticut  forces  and  Mr.  Wilard  preacht  a  Sermon  from 
chronicles  the  20th  chapter  10-11-12  v  also  in  the  af- 
ternoon Mr.  Wilard  preachd  a  sermon  from  1st  of  cor- 
rintheans  15  ch  54  &  55  vers,  also  Last  night  their 

*  This  expedition  was  under  Major  Tapper.  They  hurnt  a  fine 
pleasure-boat  just  ready  to  be  launched,  belonging  to  some  British 
officers. 

t  Of  the  Rhode  Island  "Army  of  Observation,"  under  General 
Greene. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  75 

was  six  mareens  dessrtd  from  on  board  the  Scarbor- 
ough.* 

the  2.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  General 
Thomas  Brigade  passt  Mustter  about  Sunset  as  our 
piquet  paraded  on  the  grand  parade  the  enemy  fired  3 
or  4  shots  up  to  the  meeting  house  one  of  the  balls  went 
through  the  shed  by  the  Providence  tavern  but  did  no 
damage  of  consequence  at  night  our  chimney  Swallow 
went  on  the  piquet  for  nothing  and  found  himself. 

the  3.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  at  night 
I  went  upon  the  piquet. 

the  4.  We  past  muster  nothing  remarkble  hapened 
this  day  onely  their  was  four  of  the  enemy  deserted  at 
night. 

the  5.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  onely 
their  was  5  or  6  prisoners  went  through  the  camp  that 
were  taken  at  Dartmouth!  on  board  the  prize  that  our 
men  took. 

the  6.  The  enemy  fired  between  80  and  90  "Canon 
at  our  men  but  killed  nine  onely  cut  of  one  mans  arm 
and  killed  too  cows  So  much  for  this  day. 

the  7.  I  went  upon  the  creek  guard  and  nothing  re- 
markable hapned  at  night  their  was  a  regular  deserted 

*  This  was  a  sloop-of-war,  carrying  twenty  guns. 

t  He  probably  refers  to  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  armed  schooner 
Margaretta,  at  Machias,  Maine,  in  the  month  of  May,  by  some  Amer- 
icans under  Jeremiah  O'Brien ;  or  they  may  have  been  of  the  crew 
of  two  small  cruisers  afterward  captured  by  O'Brien.  They  were 
taken  to  Watertown,  where  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Massachu- 
setts was  in  session. 


76  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

and  the  regular  guard  fired  upon  him  but  did  not  hurt 
him. 

the  8.  Being  Sunday  it  rained  and  we  had  no  preach- 
ing nothing  remarkable  hapned  at  night  their  was  a 
regular  deserted  and  came  to  our  men  and  their  was 
another  set  out  but  they  were  discovered  and  they  took 
ojje  of  them. 

I  the  9.  About  eight  o  clock  their  was  a  Rifle  man 
whipt  39  stripes*  for  Stealing  and  afterwards  he  was 
Drummed  out  of  the  camps  if  the  infernal  regions  had 
ben  opened  and  cain  and  Judas  and  Sam  Haws*  had 
been  present  their  could  not  have  ben  a  biger  uproar.  ) 

the  10.  I  went  up  on  the  creek  guard  and  nothing 
remarkable  hapened  their. 

the  11.  Their  was  a  Rifle  manf  Drummed  out  of 
the  camps*for  threatning  his  offisers  also  I  went  to 
Cambridg  with  Boats. 

the  12.  This  day  nothing  remarkable  hapned  only  I 
went  to  work  along  with  the  general  at  Mr.  Parkers  at 
night  I  went  upon  the  piquet. 

*  The  writer  of  this  Journal. 

t  These  riflemen  were  from  Maryland.  The  company  had  been 
raised  by  order  of  Congress,  and  placed  in  command  of  Captain  Mi- 
chael Cresap,  who,  without  a  shadow  of  justice,  was  made  to  figure 
unfavorably  in  the  celebrated  speech  attributed  to  Logan,  the  Mingo 
chief.  Proof  is  abundant  that  the  stain  put  upon  the  character  of 
Cresap,  by  the  speech  of  Logan  from  the  pen  of  Jefferson,  was  un- 
merited. Captain  Cresap  was  taken  sick,  and,  at  about  the  time 
here  indicated,  he  started  for  home,  but  died  at  New  York,  on  the 
18th  of  October,  1775,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three  years.  His  re- 
mains yet  lie  buried  in  Trinity  churchyard,  a  few  feet  from  Broad- 
way. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  77 

the  13.  I  went  a  chesnuting  with  a  number  of  re- 
spectable gentlemen  that  belonged  to  the  army  and  we 
had  a  rifle  frolick*  and  came  home  about  10  O clock. 

the  13.  About  2  or  3  o  clock  their  was  one  of  our 
men  taken  and  caried  to  the  quarter  guard  for  thieft 
*  abel  Weatheril  by  name  but  it  was  made  up  and  he 
.  was  taken  out  at  night  and  returned  to  his  Duty. 

the  14.  This  day  nothing  remarkable  hapned. 

the  15.  Being  Sunday  I  went  upon  fatigue  down  to 
the  george  tavern  and  their  was  a  flag  of  truce  went 
in  and  another  came  out  f 

the  16.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  Colonel  Reeds 
Laidy  came  down  to  reveu  the  Regiment  and  treated 
themt  nothing  more  this  day. 

the  17.  I  went  a  chesnuting  up  to  neutown||  and  at 
night  our  floating  Baterys  went  up  to  wards  the  canon 
and  fired  13  shots  but  unlucky  for  them  one  of  their 
9  pounders  split  and  killed  one  man  dead  and  wounded 
8  more  one  of  them  it  is  thought  mortally. 

the  18.  I  went  upon  the  creek  guard  and  John  Bates 
was  Lanch  corporeal  also  in  the  afternoon  their  was  3 

*  Shooting  at  a  mark,  for  liquor. 

t  Communications  are  thus  had  between  belligerent  armies.  By 
common  consent,  as  a  rule  of  war,  a  person  approaching  one  army 
from  anojher,  with  a  white  flag,  is  respected  as  a  neutral ;  and  to 
"  fire  upon  a  flag,"  as  the  phrase  is  when  the  bearer  is  fired  upon, 
is  considered  a  great  breach  of  faith  and  honor. 

|  The  wives  of  officers  often  visited  permanent  camps,  and  formed 
pleasant  social  parties.  Mrs.  Washington  visited  her  husband  at 
Cambridge,  while  he  remained  there.  She  also  spent  a  portion  of 
the  winter  with  him  at  Valley  Forge,  and  likewise  at  Morristown. 

||  Newton,  seven  miles  north  from  Boston. 


78  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

Boston  men  came  out  under  pretence  of  fishing  but 
they  made  their  escape  to  Dorchester  point. 

the  19.  Was  rainy  and  nothing  remarkable  hapned. 

the  20.  The  things  that  were  taken  at  the  Light 
house  were  vendued  and  went  very  high*  Nothing 
more  remarkable  hapned  this  day  at  night  their  was  a 
regular  deserted  from  the  enimy. 

the  21.  I  went  upon  the  creek  guardf  and  it  rained 
all  day  nothing  remarkable  hapned. 

the  22.  Being  Sunday  nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  23.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  at  night  I  went 
upon  the  piquet  and  nothing  hapned  worth  a  mention- 
ing. 

the  24.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  onely 
we  heard  that  the  french  wrere  a  going  to  join  us  upon 
conditions  that  we  would  trade  with  them4 

the  25.  We  turned  out  and  went  to  the  Larm  post 

*  When  Major  Tupper  destroyed  the  lighthouse  on  Nantasket 
point,  he  carried  away  all  the  furniture  and  the  great  lamp  by  which 
it  was  lighted. 

t  The  creek  referred  to  is  Stony  brook,  northward  from  Roxbury 
fort. 

J  As  early  as  July,  1775,  Dr.  Franklin  had  suggested  the  propri- 
ety of  a  political  confederation  of  all  the  colonies,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  governmental  relations  with  foreign  powers,  especially  with 
France,  which,  it  was  well  known,  hated  England.  In  November 
of  that  year,  Benjamin  Harrison,  Benjamin  Franklin,  Thomas  John- 
son, John  Dickenson,  and  John  Jay,  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
open  and  carry  on  correspondence  with  foreign  governments  ;  and  in 
March  following,  Silas  Deane  was  appointed  a  special  agent  of  Con- 
gress to  the  court  of  France.  Rumors  of  such  intentions  appear  to 
have  reached  the  army,  according  to  our  Journalist,  as  early  as  the 
24th  of  October,  1775. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  79 

and  it  was  very  cold  and  we  came  home  and  there  was 
a  high  go  of  Drinking  Brandy  and  several  of  the  com- 
pany were  taken  not  well  prety  soon  after*  nothing 
more  this  day. 

pthe  26.  This  morning  early  their  was  several  Lai- 
dies  came  down  from  wrentham  and  they  went  to  cam- 
bridg  and  the  rest  of  their  acts  are  they  not  writen  in 
the  Lamentations  of  Samuel  Haws,  finis. 

the  27.  This  day  I  went  upon  fatigue  and  we  got 
our  Stents  done  about  noon. 

the  28.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day  onely  I  was 
chose  cook  for  our  room  consisting  of  12  men  and  a 
hard  game  too. 

the  29.  Being  Sunday  the  officers  had  hard  work  to 
get  hands  for  meting  it  was  so  cold  nothing  more  this  day. 

the  30.  This  day  nothing  remarkable  hapned. 

the  31.  Nothing  remarkable.f 

NOVEMBER  1775. 

the  1.  Las  night  the  fire  ran  over  Samuel  Hawes's 
hair  and  that  provoket  him  to  wrath  Nothing  very  re- 
markable hapned  this  day  that  I  know  of. 

the  2.  their  was  Some  gentlemen  and  Laidies  came 
down  from  Wrentham  and  they  went  to  cambridg. 

*  A  very  natural  consequence. 

t  During  the  whole  of  October,  affairs  were  very  quiet,  and  no 
skirmish  of  importance  occurred.  The  "  Essex  Gazette"  of  the  19th 
said,  "  Scarcely  a  gun  has  been  fired  for  a  fortnight."  On  the  4th, 
a  small  fleet,  under  Captain  Mowatt,  sailed  from  Boston  harbor,  and 
destroyed  Falmouth  (now  Portland),  Maine.  On  the  15th,  a  com. 
mittee  from  Congress  arrived,  to  consult  with  Washington  concern- 
ing the  future,  and  a  reorganization  of  the  army. 


80  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  3.  It  was  a  very  rainy  day  and  we  went  to 
childses  and  had  an  old  fudg  fairy  ou  well  my  friends. 

the  4.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  onely 
the  gentry  went  home  to  Wrentham. 

the  5.  Being  the  memorial  5th  of  novem.  the  enemy 
fired  from  every  Ship  in  the  harbour  nothing  more  re- 
markable this  day. 

the  6.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day. 

the  7.  Their  was  a  vendue  opened  att  this  house  and 
their  was  not  Less  than  a  hundred  and  twenty  Dollars 
worth  of  things  vendued  and  sold  at  private  sale  and 
Swapt. 

the  8.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  that  I 
know  of. 

the  9.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  that  is 
worth  amentioning.* 

the  10.  This  day  I  went  home  upon  furlow,f  yester- 
day Sergent  Yett  went  home. 

the  11.  I  went  to  captain  whitings  and  nothing  re- 
markable hapned. 

the  12.  Being  Sunday  I  went  to  meting  Nothing 
more  this  day. 

the  13.  This  day  the  Long  faced  People  trained  at 
Wrentham  and  Serg  Felt  went  upon  the  piquet  and 
fired  several  times  upon  the  centrys. 

the  14.  This  day  I  came  down  from  Wrentham  with 

*  On  this  day  there  was  quite  a  severe  skirmish  occurred  at  Lech- 
mere's  point,  now  Cambridgeport. 

t  That  is,  a  written  permission  from  his  commanding  officer,  to 
leave  for  a  specified  time. 


THE    WAR    FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  81 

Serg  Felt  arid  at  night  their  was  three  -men  deserted 
from  the  floating  Battery  this  day  we  had  a  Lottery 
and  Serg  Foster  drawd  a  pair  of  Breeches*  worth  5 
Dollars  and  their  was  considerable  other  tradeing  car- 
ied  on  at  night  their  was  8  men  more  deserted. 

the  16.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  captain  Pond 
Listed  three  or  four  men  for  the  next  campaignf  att 
night  it  was  very  cold. 

the  17.  Very  blustering  and  their  was  a  man  Whipt 
thirty  and  nine  Lashes  for  Stealing  and  getting  Drunk 
and  running  away  and  afterwards  he  was  drummed  out 
of  the  camps  thus'  he  &,c. 

the.  18.  Nothing  remarkable  hapned  this  day  that  I 
know  of. 

the  19.  This  day  being  Sunday  it  was  very  pleasant 
and  we  had  Preaching  Nothing  more  this  day. 

the  20.  This  day  nothing  very  remarkable  at  night 
their  was  a  regular  deserted  and  Swam  over  to  Dor- 
chester and  escaped. 

*  At  that  time  leather  breeches  were  much  in  vogue,  because  they 
were  durable.  The  more  costly  ones  of  buckskin  were  worn  only 
by  officers. 

t  Late  in  October  a  new  organization  of  the  army  took  place,  and 
enlistments  for  a  certain  term  were  commenced.  Hitherto  there  had 
been  great  confusion  in  the  matter.  The  army  had  gathered  around 
Boston  from  sudden  impulse,  and  it  was  continually  changing.  The 
excitement  which  had  brought  them  together  had  in  a  measure  sub- 
sided, and  enlistments  went  on  slowly.  After  a  month's  exertions, 
only  five  thousand  names  were  enrolled  ;  (and  Washington,  lament- 
ing the  dearth  of  public  spirit,  almost  despaired.  Alluding  to  the 
/  selfishness  exhibited  in  camp,  he  says :  "  Such  stock-jobbing  and 
^  fertility  in  all  low  arts,  to  obtain  advantages  of  one  kind  and  anoth- 
er, I  never  saw  before,  and  pray  God  I  may  never  witness  again."  ,' 

6 


82  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  21.  This  day  Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day 
the  piquet  was  made  easier  by  half  &c.  &c. 

the  22.  To  morro\v  is  thanksgiveing  this  day  ended 
without  any  thing  remarkable. 

the  23.  Being  thanksgiveing  I  went  with  Serg  Felt 
up  to  newtown  and  kept  thanksgiveing  their  and  re- 
turnd  to  our  Barricks  at  night  and  we  had  not  ben  a 
bed  long  when  our  captain  came  to  us  and  ordered  us 
all  to  Lye  upon  our  arms  by  order  of  General  Wash- 
ington Lesemo*  of  the  American  Army  iricampt  at  cam- 
bridg  and  roxbury  and  other  places!  nothing  more  this 
day  that  I  know  of  onely  2  regulars  deserted  at  night 
on  cambridg  side.! 

the  24.  Nothing  hapned  very  remarkable  this  day 
that  I  know  of. 

the  25.  This  morning  Captain  Pond  inlisted  several 
men  for  the  next  campaign ;  o  you  nasty  Sloven  how 
your  Book  Looks. || 

the  26.  Being  Sunday  it  was  Stormy  Nothing  re- 
markable this  day. 

*  Generalissimo. 

t  On  the  previous  day,  General  Putnam,  with  a  strong  detach- 
ment, broke  ground  at  Cobble  lull,  where  the  M'Lean  Asylum  now 
stands.  The  object  was  to  erect  batteries  for  the  purpose  of  can- 
nonading Boston.  It  was  expected  the  British  troops  would  sally 
out  of  the  city  and  attack  them,  and  that  expectation  caused  Wash- 
ington to  issue  the  order  for  all  the  troops  to  be  ready  for  action  at 
a  moment's  warning. 

}  Frothingham  says,  "  Two  British  sentinels  came  off  in  the  night 
to  the  detachment"  of  General  Putnam. 

||  This  remark  refers  to  several  blots  of  ink  which  disfigure  the 
page  of  his  Journal  on  which  he  was  writing. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  83 

the  27.  Nothing  very  remarkable  hapned  this  day. 
the  28.  Nothing  very  Strange  onely  Peperiss  cura- 
cle  came  out  of  Boston  that  old  tory  Dog. 
y     /the  29.  Nothing  remarkable  onely  one  of  our  Priva- 
teers took  a  prize  richly  Laden.* 

the  30.  Nothing  extreordenary  this  day  that  I  know 
of. 

DECEMBER. 

the  1.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 
the  2.  This  day  I  with  a  number  of  rispectable  gen- 
tlemen wentf 

*  That  was  the  British  storeship  Nancy,  captured  off  Cape  Anne, 
and  carried  into  that  harbor,  by  Captain  John  Manly,  commander 
of  the  American  armed  schooner  Lee,  one  of  the  six  vessels  fitted 
out  at  Boston  under  the  direction  of  Washington,  before  Congress 
had  yet  taken  any  measures  to  establish  a  navy.  So  valuable  were 
the  stores  of  the  Nancy,  that  Washington  supposed  General  Howe 
would  immediately  make  efforts  to  recover  her,  and  he  had  an  armed 
force  sent  to  Cape  Anne  to  secure  them. '  There  were  two  thousand 
muskets,  one  hundred  thousand  flints,  thirty  thousand  round  shot  for 
one,  six,  and  twelve  pounders,  over  thirty  thousand  musket-shot,  and 
a  thirteen-inch  brass  mortar  that  weighed  twenty-seven  hundred 
pounds.  The  arrival  of  these  produced  great  joy  in  the  camp.  Colo- 
nel Moylan,  describing  the  scene,  says  :  "  Old  PUT  [General  Putnam] 
was  mounted  on  the  mortar,  with  a  bottle  of  rum  in  his  hand,  stand- 
ing parson  to  christen,  while  god-father  Mifflin  [afterward  General 
Mifflin]  gave  it  the  name  of  Congress." 

On  the  29th  of  November,  Washington  commenced  planting  a 
bomb-battery  on  Lechmere's  point,  with  the  intention  of  bombarding 
the  British  works  on  Bunker  hill.  They  completed  it  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days,  entirely  unmolested. 

t  The  author  did  not  expect  to  have  his  Journal  published,  or  he 
would  have  omitted  the  entry  here  made.  There  seems  nothing  in 
it  derogatory  to  his  character,  yet  he  has  chosen  words  to  express 
his  thoughts  not  suited  "  to  ears  polite." 


84  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  3.  Being  Sunday  it  rained  nothing  remarkable 
hapned  this  day. 

the  4.  Nothing  remarkable  hapnd  this  day  at  night 
we  were  ordered  to  Ly  upon  our  arms.* 

the  5.  Nothing  Strange  hapned  this  day. 

the  6.  Nothing  comical  this  day  only  their  was  con- 
siderable of  tradeing  caryd  on.f 

the  7.  This  day  nothing  Strang. 

the  8.  This  day  I  with  several  more  inlisted  for  the 
year  1776  under  captain  Oliver  Pond. 

the  9.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  10.  This  day  the  Long  faced  People:}:  arived 
here  from  wrentham  and  other  places. 

the  11.  This  day  I  past  muster  before  general  Spen- 
cer||  nothing  more  this  day. 

the  12.  This  day  it  was  very  cold  and  the  melitia 
had  to  mount  guard  that  is  good  for  them. 

the  13.  This  day  I  went  to  cambridg  and  viewed 
the  works  on  copplefy  hill.^f 

*  "Washington  was  now  in  hourly  expectation  of  an  attack  from 
the  British,  and,  knowing  his  own  weakness,  he  considered  his  situa- 
tion very  critical.  In  vigilance  alone  seemed  a  security  for  safety. 

t  The  Yankee  love  of  trade  and  barter  appears  to  have  been  very 
prevalent  in  the  camp. 

|  New  militia  recruits  from  the  country,  who  had  never  seen  service. 

||  General  Joseph  Spencer,  of  East  Haddam,  Connecticut.  He 
remained  in  service  until  1778,  when  he  resigned,  left  the  army,  and 
became  a  member  of  Congress.  He  held  rank  next  to  Putnam  in 
the  army  at  Boston.  He  died  in  1789,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years. 

§  Cobble. 

ff  These,  it  is  said,  were  the  most  perfed  of  any  of  the  fortifica- 
tions raised  around  Boston  at  that  time. 


THE    WAR   FOR   INDEPENDENCE.  85 

the  14.  This  day  I  went  to  Watertown*  with  Lieu- 
tenant Bacon  and  a  number  of  others  in  order  to  get 
some  coats  but  we  could  not  find  any  that  suited  us 
and  so  we  returned.! 

the  15.  This  day  nothing  very  remarkable. 

the  16.  This  day  nothing  strange  at  night  their  was 
an  atempt  made  to  blow  up  A  Ship  but  it  failed  also 
this  night  we  heard  that  Quebeck  was  taken. + 

the  17.  Being  Sunday  it  was  foul  weather  nothing 
remarkable  hapned  this  day  onely  the  enemy  fired  at 
our  men  on  Lechmers||  Point  and  wounded  one  and 
our  men  returned  the  fire  from  coppte  hill. 

the  18.  This  day  the  Ship  moved  out  of  the  Bay 
and  the  Enemy  threw  Bombs  from  mount  Hoordom§ 
but  did  no  Damage. 

the  19.  This  day  nothing  remarkable  hapned. 

the  20.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 

the  21.  This  day  it  was  very  cold  nothing  strange 
this  day. 

the  22.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

*  Seven  miles  northwest  from  Boston.  It  was  then  the  seat  of 
the  revolutionary  government  in  Massachusetts. 

t  Washington  issued  a  notice,  on  the  28th  of  October,  that  tailors 
would  be  employed  to  make  coats  for  those  who  wished  them. 

|  This  was  a  mistake.  On  the  13th  of  September,  Colonel  Bene- 
dict Arnold  left  Cambridge  with  a  detachment  to  cross  the  country 
by  the  way  of  the  Kennebec,  to  invade  Canada  and  capture  Quebec. 
Arnold's  army  suffered  terribly  on  the  march,  and  arrived  at  Point 
Levi,  opposite  Quebec,  on  the  9th  of  November,  and  prepared  to 
attack  the  city.  He  was  obliged  to  postpone  his  attack,  and  Quebec 
never  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  patriots. 

||Lechmere's.  §  A  nickname  given  to  Bunker's  hill. 


86  MILITARY    JOURNAL, 

the  23.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 

the  24.      Ditto       Ditto      Ditto. 

the  25.  Good. 

the  26.  Very  cold  this  day  nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  27.  Nothing  remarkable  to  day. 

the  28.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 

the  29.  Nothing  strange  this  day  Last  Night  our  men 
made  an  atempt  to  take  Bunker  hill  but  their  Scheem 
was  frustrated  &c.* 

the  30,  31.  Nothing  remarkable. 

JANUARY. 

/the  1.  A  Happy  new  year  1776  Behold  the  man 
three  score  and  ten  upon  a  Dying  Bed  he'se  run  his 
race  and  get  no  Grace  and  Awful  Sight  indeed  Noth- 
ing very  remarkable  this  1  day  of  January  1776  An- 
oquedomina.f 

the  2.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 
the  3.  20  men  out  of  each  Regement  in  Roxbury 
side  to  cut  fachinest  I  believe  we  have  it  by  and  by. 

*  On  the  night  of  the  28th,  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to 
surprise  the  British  outposts  on  Charlestown  neck,  and  then  to  at- 
tack the  enemy  on  Bunker's  hill.  The  Americans  started  to  cross 
from  Cobble  hill,  on  the  ice.  One  of  the  men  slipped  and  fell  when 
they  were  half  way  across,  and  his  gun  went  off.  This  alarmed  the 
British,  and  they  were  on  their  guard.  It  was  computed  that,  from 
the  burning  of  Charlestown,  on  the  17th  of  June,  until  Christmas 
day,  the  British  had  fired  more  than  two  thousand  shot  and  shells. 
They  hurled  more  than  three  hundred  bombshells  at  Plowed  hill, 
and  one  hundred  at  Lechmere's  point.  Gordon  says  that,  with  all 
this  waste  of  metal,  they  "  killed  only  seven  men  on  the  Cambridge 
side,  and  just  a  dozen  on  the  Roxbury  side." 

t  Anno  Domini.  f  Fascines, 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  87 

the  4.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  5-7.  Nothing  strange. 

the  8.  At  night  some  of  our  brave  heroick  Americans 
went  Past  the  Enemys  Brest  Work  at  Bunker  hill  and 
burnt  several  houseri  at  the  foot  of  Bunker  hill  and  took 
5  men  and  1  woman  Prisoners  and  came  of  as  far  as 
copple  hill  when  the  flames  began  to  extend  and  the 
enemy  that  were  in  the  fort  perceiving  a  number  of 
men  gather  round  the  fire  &  suposing  them  to  be  our 
men  they  kept  up  a  bright  fire  for  the  space  of  near 
half  an  hour  upon  their  own  men  devillightfooly* 
theyf  .... 

the  9.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  10.  Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day  it  was 
very  cold. 

the  11.  Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 

the  12.  All  furlows  stopt  this  day. 

*  Delightfully. 

t  When  Charlestown  was  burned,  fourteen  houses  escaped  the 
flames.  These  were  occupied  by  the  British ;  and,  on  the  8th  of 
January,  General  Putnam  sent  Major  Knowlton  (afterward  killed 
at  Harlem),  with  a  small  party,  to  set  those  houses  on  fire.  The 
affair  was  injudiciously  managed,  and,  before  all  could  be  fired,  the 
flames  of  one  alarmed  the  British  in  the  fort.  They  discharged  can- 
nons and  small-arms  in  all  directions,  in  their  confusion  and  affright. 
At  that  moment  a  play,  called  "  The  Blockade  of  Boston,"  written 
for  the  occasion  by  General  Burgoyne,  was  in  course  of  performance 
in  the  city.  In  the  midst  of  the  scene  in  which  "Washington  was 
burlesqued,  a  sergeant  dashed  into  the  theatre  and  exclaimed,  "  The 
Yankees  are  attacking  Bunker's  hill!"  The  audience  thought  it, 
was  part  of  the  play,  until  General  Howe  said,  "  Officers,  to  your 
alarm-posts!"  Then  women  shrieked  and  fainted,  and  the  people 
rushed  to  the  streets  in  great  confusion. 


88  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

the  13.  Nothing  strange  this  day.  • 

the  14.  Being  Sunday  nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  15.  This  day  we  heard  that  the  regulars  had 
taken  Providence  and  burnt  all  the  housen  except  two.* 

the  16.  Nothing  remarkable  hapened  this  day  at 
night  we  were  all  ordered  to  Ly  upon  our  arms. 

the  17.  This  day  we  had  the  disagreeable  news  that 
our  men  were  defeated  that  went  to  Quebeck  and  that 
General  montgomery  and  colonel  Arnold  were  either 
killed  or  taken  Prisoners  but  we  Pray  God  thy  news 
may  prove  falcef  at  night  it  was  thought  their  was  a 
spy  out  from  Boston  and  our  centrys  fired  at  him  but 
we  dont  know  the  Sertainty  of  it  cold  weather  for  the 
Season. 

the  18.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 

*  Sir  James  Wallace  commanded  a  small  British  flotilla  in  Nar- 
raganset  bay,  during  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1775.  He  was 
really  a  commissioned  pirate,  for  he  burnt  and  plundered  dwellings, 
and  stores,  and  plantations,  wherever  he  pleased.  The*  fact  above 
alluded  to  was  the  plunder  and  destruction  of  the  houses  on  the 
beautiful  island  of  Providence  (not  the  town  of  Providence)  by  that 
marauder,  at  the  close  of  November,  1775.  He  also  desolated  Con- 
nanicut  island,  opposite  Newport ;  and  every  American  vessel  that 
entered  that  harbor  was  seized  and  sent  to  Boston. 

t  Arnold,  with  only  seven  hundred  men,  appeared  before  Quebec 
on  the  18th  of  November,  and  demanded  its  surrender.  He  was 
soon  compelled  to  retire,  and,  marching  up  the  St.  Lawrence  twenty 
miles,  he  there  met,  in  December,  General  Montgomery,  with  a 
small  force,  descending  from  Montreal.  They  marched  against 
Quebec,  and,  early  in  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  December,  pro- 
ceeded to  assail  the  city  at  three  distinct  points.  Montgomery  was 
killed,  Morgan  and  many  of  the  Americans  were  made  prisoners,  and 
Arnold,  who  was  severely  wounded,  retired  to  Sillery,  three  miles 
above  Quebec. 


THE    WAR   FOR    INDEPENDENCE.  89 

/  the  19.  This  day  we  heard  that  our  men  had  taken 
a  Ship  Loaded  with  Gunpowder  the  truth  of  it  we  have 
not  yet  Learned  but  we  hope  it  will  prove  true.* 

the  20.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  21.  Ditto. 

the  22.  Nothing  strange. 

the  23.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  24.  This  day  capt  Pond  came  from  Wrentham 
Nothing  remarkable. 

the  25.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  26.  Nothing  very  remarkable. 

the  27.  Nothing  remarkable  this  day. 

the  28.  Nothing  remarkable. 

the  29.  This  day  we  moved  to  Dorchester  into  the 
widow  Birds  house. 

the  30.  Nothing  strange  this  day. 

the  31.  Ditto. 

FEBRUARY. 

the  1.  This  day  nothing  remarkable, 
the  2.  Ditto. 

the  3.  Nothing  Remarkable  this  day. 
the  4.  Ditto. 

the  5.  The  Lobsters  came  out  almost  to  copple  hill 
and  took  3  cows  arid  killed  them  and  were  fired  upon 

*  Several  of  the  prizes  captured  by  Manly  and  others  contained 
powder  and  arms ;  and  late  in  December,  Colonel  (afterward  Gen- 
eral) Knox  arrived  from  Ticonderoga  with  forty-two  sled-loads  of 
cannons,  mortars,  lead,  balls,  flints,  &c.  By  the  close  of  January, 
powder  became  quite  plentiful  in  the  American  camp. 


90  MILITARY    JOURNAL. 

from  copple  hill  and  they  were  obligd  to  mak  of  Leav- 
ing their  Booty  behind  them. 

the  6.  The  melitious  men*  marched  from  Wrentham 
and  arived  in  camp  at  Dorchester. 

the  7.  Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 

the  8.  Their  was  a  number  of  our  men  went  a  Sea- 
ting on  the  Bay  near  Bosston  common  and  the  Enemy 
fired  upwards  of  a  hundred  small  arms  that  did  no  dam- 
age. 

the  9.  Nothing  very  remarkable  at  night  their  was 
thre  of  our  Amarican  Boys  made  their  escape  from  the 
Enemy  in  Boston  and  were  taken  up  by  our  men  who 
were  Patroling  on  Dorchester  Point  to  and  they  brought 
of  things  to  considerable  value. 

the  10.  Nothing  Strange  this  day.f 

*  Militia-men. 

t  Here  the  Journal  ends  abruptly,  and  we  have  no  clew  to  the 
writer  afterward.  As  he  had  enlisted  for  the  campaign  of  1776,  he 
doubtless  remained  with  tlie  army  until  after  the  expulsion  of  the 
British  from  Boston,  in  March  following,  unless  he  was  killed  in  some 
of  the  skirmishes  that  frequently  occurred,  or  was  obliged  to  leave 
the  army  on  account  of  sickness.  Whatever  was  his  fate,  the  veil 
of  oblivion  is  drawn  over  it,  for  he  was  one  of  the  thousands  who 
with  warm  hearts  and  stout  hands  struggled  in  the  field  for  the  lib- 
erties of  their  country,  lie  in  unhonored  graves,  and  have  had  no 
biographers.  If  he  lived  until  the  conflict  ended,  and  died  in  his 
native  town,  no  doubt  his  grave  is  in  the  old  churchyard  at  Wren- 
tham. His  family  was  among  the  earliest  settlers  there,  for  Daniel 
Haws  was  a  resident  of  the  village  when  it  was  burnt,  in  the  time 
of  King  Philip's  war,  almost  two  hundred  years  ago ;  and  on  a 
plain  slab  in  that  old  burial-place  is  the  name  of  Ebenezer  Haws, 
who  died  in  1812,  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years. 


SUPPLEMENT, 

CONTAINING 

OFFICIAL  PAPERS  ON  THE  SKIRMISHES  AT  LEXINGTON  AND  CONCORD, 

AND  A  LIST  OF  REVOLUTIONARY  ARTICLES  IN  THE  POUGHKEEP8IE  MUSEUM. 


SUPPLEMENT, 
OFFICIAL   PAPERS 

CONCERNING 

THE  SKIRMISHES  AT  LEXINGTON  AND  CONCORD. 

IN  the  preceding  Journal  of  a  Soldier,  in  1775,  his 
narrative  commences  on  the  day  of  the  skirmishes  at 
Lexington  and  Concord,  the  opening  conflicts  of  the 
Revolution.  Some  official  matters  relating  to  those 
events,  which  are  inaccessible  to  the  general  reading- 
public,  will  doubtless  be  acceptable,  as  they  certainly 
are  appropriate,  in  this  connection. 

The  skirmishes  occurred  on  the  19th  of  April,  1775. 
On  the  22d,  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Massachusetts 
assembled,  and,  deeming  it  important  to  have  the  whole 
truth  known,  appointed  a  committee  to  take  depositions 
in  relation  to  the  transactions  of  the  British  troops  in 
their  route  to  and  from  Concord.  Another  committee 
was  appointed  the  following  day,  consisting  of  Dr. 
Church,  Elbridge  Gerry,  and  Thomas  Gushing,  to  draw 
up  a  narrative  of  the  massacre.  The  committee  to 


94  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

take  depositions  held  their  sessions  at  Concord  and 
Lexington,  on  the  23d  and  25th  of  April.  Feeling  it 
to  be  expedient  to  send  an  account  immediately  to 
England,  a  committee,  consisting  of  Dr.  Warren,  Mr. 
Freeman,  Mr.  Gardiner,  and  Colonel  Stone,  was  chosen 
to  prepare  a  letter  to  Dr.  Franklin,  the  colonial  agent 
in  London.  They  reported  a  letter,  and  also  an  "Ad- 
dress to  the  Inhabitants  of  Great  Britain,"  on  the  same 
day.  Captain  Richard  Derby,  of  Salem,  was  employed 
to  proceed  immediately  with  the  despatches.  He  placed 
them  in  the  hands  of  Doctor  Franklin  on  the  29th  of 
May,  and  on  the  following  day  the  address  was  printed 
and  circulated.  It  gave  the  first  intelligence  of  the 
skirmishes  at  Lexington  and  Concord,  to  the  British 
public. 

The  following,  copied  from  the  Journals  of  the 
Continental  Congress,  are  the  several  papers  referred 
to:  — 

"  To  the  Hon.  Benjamin  Franklin,  Esq.,  at  London. 

"  IN  PROVINCIAL  CONGRESS,  WATERTOWN,  April  26,  1775. 
"  SIR  :  From  the  entire  confidence  we  repose  in 
your  faithfulness  and  abilities,  we  consider  it  the  hap- 
piness of  this  colony  that  the  important  trust  of  agency 
for  it,  in  this  day  of  unequalled  distress,  is  devolved  on 
your  hands,  and  we  doubt  not  your  attachment  to  the 
cause  and  liberties  of  mankind  will  make  every  possi- 
ble exertion  in  our  behalf  a  pleasure  to  you  ;  although 
our  circumstances  will  compel  us  often  to  interrupt 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.         95 

your  repose,  by  matters  that  will  surely  give  you  pain. 
A  singular  instance  hereof  is  the  occasion  of  the  pres- 
ent letter.  The  contents  of  this  packet  will  be  our 
apology  for  troubling  you  with  it. 

"From  these  you  will  see  how,  and  by  whom,  we 
are  at  last  plunged  into  the  horrors  of  a  most  unnatu- 
ral war. 

"  Our  enemies,  we  are  told,  have  despatched  to  Great 
Britain  a  fallacious  account  of  the  tragedy  they  have 
begun  ;  to  prevent  the  operation  of  which  to  the  public 
injury,  we  have  engaged  the  vessel  that  conveys  this 
to  you,  as  a  packet  in  the  service  of  this  colony,  and 
we  request  your  assistance  in  supplying  Captain  Derby, 
who  commands  her,  with  such  necessaries  as  he  shall 
want,  on  the  credit  of  your  constituents  in  Massachu- 
setts Bay. 

"  But  we  most  ardently  wish  that  the  several  papers 
herewith  enclosed  may  be  immediately  printed  and  dis- 
persed through  every  town  in  England,  and  especially 
communicated  to  the  lord-mayor,  aldermen,  and  coun- 
cil, of  the  city  of  London,  that  they  may  take  such 
order  thereon  as  they  may  think  proper.  And  we  are 
confident  your  fidelity  will  make  such  improvement  of 
them  as  shall  convince  all,  who  are  not  determined  to- 
be  in  everlasting  blindness,  that  it  is  the  united  efforts 
of  both  Englands  that  can  save  either :  but  that  what- 
ever price  our  brethren  in  the  one  may  be  pleased  to 
put  on  their  constitutional  liberties,  we  are  authorized 
to  assure  you  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  other,  with  the 


96  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

greatest  unanimity,  are  inflexibly  resolved  to  sell  theirs 
only  at  the  price  of  their  lives. 

"  Signed  by  order  of  the  Provincial  Congress, 

"  JOSEPH  WARREN,  President,  P.  T. 
"A  true  copy  from  the  original  minutes, 

"  SAMUEL  FREEMAN,  Sec.  P.  T." 

The  depositions  relative  to  the  commencement  of 
hostilities  are  as  follows :  — 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  We,  Solomon  Brown,  Jonathan  Loring,  and  Elijah 
Sanderson,  all  of  lawful  age,  and  of  Lexington,  in  the 
county  of  Middlesex,  and  colony  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  in  New  England,  do  testify  and  declare  that,  on 
the  evening  of  the  18th  of  April,  instant,  being  on  the 
road  bfetween  Concord  and  Lexington,  and  all  of  us 
mounted  on  horses,  we  were,  about  ten  of  the  clock, 
suddenly  surprised  by  nine  persons,  whom  we  took  to 
be  regular  officers,  who  rode  up  to  us,  mounted  and 
armed,  each  having  a  pistol  in  his  hand,  and,  after  put- 
ting pistols  to  our  breasts,  and  seizing  the  bridles  of 
our  horses,  they  swore,  if  we  stirred  another  step,  we 
should  be  all  dead  men,  upon  which  we  surrendered 
ourselves.  They  detained  us  until  two  o'clock  the 
*next  morning,  in  which  time  they  searched  and  greatly 
abused  us,  having  first  inquired  about  the  magazine  at 
Concord,  whether  any  guards  were  posted  there,  and 
whether  the  bridges  were  up,  and  said  four  or  five  regi- 
ments of  regulars  would  be  in  possession  of  the  stores 
soon.  They  then  brought  us  back  to  Lexington,  cut 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.        97 

the  horses'  bridles  and  girths,  turned  them  loose,  and 
then  left  us.  "  SOLOMON  BROWN, 

"JONATHAN  LORING,  ELIJAH  SANDERSON." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  I,  Elijah  Sanderson,  above  named,  do  further  tes- 
tify and  declare,  that  I  was  on  Lexington  common,  the 
morning  of  the  19th  of  April  aforesaid,  having  been 
dismissed  by  the  officers  above  mentioned,  and  saw  a 
large  body  of  regular  troops  advancing  toward  Lexing- 
ton company,  many  of  whom  were  then  dispersing.  I 
heard  one  of  the  regulars,  whom  I  took  to  be  an  offi- 
cer, say,  "  Damn  them,  we  will  have  them ;"  and  im- 
mediately the  regulars  shouted  aloud,  run  and  fired 
upon  the  Lexington  company,  which  did  not  fire  a  gun 
before  the  regulars  discharged  on  them.  Eight  of  the 
Lexington  company  were  killed  while  they  were  dis- 
persing, and  at  a  considerable  distance  from  each  other, 
and  many  wounded  ;  and,  although  a  spectator,  I  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  my  life. 

"ELIJAH  SANDERSON." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

f  "I,  Thomas  Rice  Willard,  of  lawful  age,  do  testify 
and  declare  that,  being  in  the  house  of  Daniel  Harring- 
ton, of  said  Lexington,  on  the  19th  instant,  in  the  morn- 
ing, about  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  looked  out  at 
the  window  of  said  house,  and  saw  (as  I  suppose)  about 
four  hundred  regulars  in  one  body,  coming  up  the  road, 
and  marched  toward  the  north  part  of  the  common, 

7 


98  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

back  of  the  meeting-house  of  said  Lexington ;  and  as 
soon  as  said  regulars  were  against  the  east  end  of  the 
meeting-house,  the  commanding  officer  said  something, 
what  I  know  not,  but  upon  that  the  regulars  ran  till 
they  came  within  about  eight  or  nine  rods  of*  about  a 
hundred  of  the  militia  of  Lexington,  who  were  collected 
on  said  common,  at  which  time  the  militia  of  Lexington 
dispersed.  Then  the  officers  made  a  huzza,  and  the 
private  soldiers  succeeded  them  :  directly  after  this,  an 
officer  rode  before  the  regulars  to  the  other  side  of  the 
body,  and  hallooed  after  the  militia  of  said  Lexington, 
and  said,  "  Lay  down  your  arms,  damn  you,  why  don't 
you  lay  down  your  arms  ?" — and  that  there  was  not  a 
gun  fired  till  the  militia  of  Lexington  were  dispersed. 
And  further  saith  not. 

"THOMAS  RICE  WILLARD." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  Simon  Winship,  of  Lexington,  in  the  county  of  Mid- 
dlesex, and  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  New  Eng- 
land, being  of  lawful  age,  testifieth  and  saith,  that  on 
the  19th  April  instant,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, as  he  was  passing  the  public  road  in  said  Lexing- 
ton, peaceably  and  unarmed,  about  two  miles  and  a 
half  distant  from  the  meeting-house  in  said  Lexington, 
he  was  met  by  a  body  of  the  king's  regular  troops,  and 
being  stopped  by  seme  officers  of  said  troops,  was  com- 
manded to  dismount.  Upon  asking  why  he  must  dis- 
mount, he  was  obliged  by  force  to  quit  his  horse,  and 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.        99 

ordered  to  march  in  the  midst  of  the  body ;  and,  being 
examined  whether  he  had  been  warning  the  minute- 
men,  he  answered,  'No,  but  had  been  out,  and  was 
then  returning  to  his  father's.'  Said  Winship  farther 
testifies  that  he  marched  with  said  troops,  till  he  came 
within  about  half  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  said  meeting- 
house, where  an  officer  commanded  the  troops  to  halt, 
and  then  to  prime  and  load  :  this  being  done,  the  said 
troops  marched  on  till  they  came  within  a  few  rods  of 
Captain  Parker's  company,  who  were  partly  collected 
on  the  place  of  parade,  when  said  Winship  observed 
an  officer  at  the  head  of  said  troops,  flourishing  his 
sword,  and  with  a  loud  voice  giving  the  word,  '  Fire ! 
fire*!'  which  was  instantly  followed  by  a  discharge  of 
arms  from  said  regular  troops ;  and  said  Winship  is 
positive,  and  in  the  most  solemn  manner  declares,  that 
there  was  no  discharge  of  arms  on  either  side,  till  the 
word  '  Fire'  was  given  by  the  said  officer  as  above. 

"  SIMON  WINSHIP." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  I,  John  Parker,  of  lawful  age,  and  commander  of 
the  militia  in  Lexington,  do  testify  and  declare  that,  on 
the  19th  instant,  in  the  morning,  about  one  of  the  clock, 
being  informed  that  there  were  a  number  of  regula- 
officers  riding  up  and  down  the  road,  stopping  and  in- 
sulting people  as  they  passed  the  road ;  and  also  was 
informed  that  a  number  of  regular  troops  were  on  their 
march  from  Boston,  in  order  to  take  the  province  stores 


100  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

at  Concord,  ordered  our  militia  to  meet  on  the  common 
in  said  Lexington,  to  consult  what  to  do,  and  concluded 
not  to  be  discovered,  nor  meddle  or  make  with  said 
regular  troops  (if  they  should  approach),  unless  they 
should  insult1  or  molest  us ;  and,  upon  their  sudden  ap- 
proach, I  immediately  ordered  our  militia  to  disperse, 
and  not  to  fire.  Immediately  said  troops  made  their 
appearance,  and  rushed  furiously,  fired  upon,  and  killed 
eight  of  our  party,  without  receiving  any  provocation 
therefor  from  us. 

"JOHN  PARKER." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  24,  1775. 

/"  I,  John  Robins,  being  of  lawful  age,  do  testify  and 
say  that,  on  the  19th  instant,  the  company  under  the 
command  of  Captain  John  Parker,  being  drawn  up 
(some  time  before  sunrise)  on  the  green  or  common, 
and  I  being  in  the  front  rank,  there  suddenly  appeared 
a  number  of  the  king's  troops,  about  a  thousand,  as  I 
thought,  at  the  distance  of  about  sixty  or  seventy  yards 
from  us,  huzzaing,  and  on  a  quick  pace  toward  us, 
with  three  officers  in  their  front  on  horseback,  and  on 
full  gallop  toward  us,  the  foremost  of  which  cried, 
*  Throw  down  your  arms,  ye  villains,  ye  rebels !'  upon 
which  said  company  dispersing,  the  foremost  of  the 
three  officers  ordered  their  men,  saying,  '  Fire,  by  God ! 
fire  !'  at  which  moment  we  received  a  very  heavy  and 
close  fire  from  them ;  at  which  instant,  being  wounded, 
I  fell,  and  several  of  our  men  were  shot  dead  by  me. 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON   AND    CONCORD.       101 

• 

Captain  Parker's  men,  I  believe,  had  not  then  fired  a 
gun.     And  further  the  deponent  saith  not. 

"JOHN  ROBINS." 


"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  We,  Benjamin  Tidd,  of  Lexington,  and  Joseph  Ab- 
bot, of  Lincoln,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  and  colony 
of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New  England,  of  lawful  age, 
do  testify  and  declare  that,  on  the  morning  of  the  19th 
of  April  instant,  about  five  o'clock,  being  on.  Lexington 
common,  and  mounted  on  horses,  we  saw  a  body  of 
regular  troops  marching  up  to  the  Lexington  company, 
which  was  then  dispersing.  Soon  after,  the  regulars 
fired,  first,  a  few  guns,  which  we  took  to  be  pistols 
from  some  of  the  regulars  who  were  mounted  on  horses,, 
and  then  the  said  regulars  fired  a  volley  or  two  before 
any  guns  were  fired  by  the  Lexington  company ;  our 
horses  immediately  started,  and  we  rode  off.  And  fur- 
ther say  not. 

"  BENJAMIN  TIDD,  JOSEPH  ABBOT." 

• 
"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"We,  Nathaniel  Mullokin,  Philip  Russell,  Moses 
Harrington,  jun.,  Thomas  and  Daniel  Harrington,  Wil- 
liam Grimes,  William  Tidd,  Isaac  Hastings,  Jonas 
Stone,  jun.,  James  Wyman,  Thaddeus  Harrington,  John 
Chandler,  Joshua  Reed,  jun.,  Joseph  Simonds,  Phineas 
Smith,  John  Chandler,  jun.,  Reuben  Cock,  Joel  Viles, 
Nathan  Reed,  Samuel  Tidd,  Benjamin  Lock,  Thomas 


102  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

• 

Winship,  Simeon  Snow,  John  Smith,  Moses  Harring- 
ton the  3d,  Joshua  Reed,  Ebenezer  Parker,  John  Har- 
rington, Enoch  Willington,  John  Hormer,  Isaac  Green, 
Phineas  Stearns,  Isaac  Durant,  and  Thomas  Headley, 
jun.,  all  of  lawful  age,  and  inhabitants  of  Lexington, 
in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  and  colony  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,  in  New  England,  do  testify  and  declare, 
that,  on  the  19th  of  April  instant,  about  one  or  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  being  informed  that  several  offi- 
cers of  the  regulars  had,  the  evening  before,  been  riding 
up  and  down  the  road,  and  had  detained  and  insulted 
the  inhabitants  passing  the  same  ;  and  also  understand- 
ing that  a  body  of  regulars  were  marching  from  Boston 
toward  Concord,  with  intent  (as  it  was  supposed)  to 
take  the  stores,  belonging  to  the  colony,  in  that  town, 
we  were  alarmed,  and  having  met  at  the  place  of  our 
company's  parade,  were  dismissed  by  our  captain,  John 
Parker,  for  the  present,  with  orders  to  be  ready  to  at- 
tend at  the  beat  of  the  drum.  We  further  testify  and 
declare,  that,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  hearing 
our  drum  beat,  we  proceeded  toward  the  parade,  and 
soon  found  that  a  large  body  of  troops  were  marching 
toward  us.  Some  of  our  company  were  coming  up  to 
the  parade,  and  others  had  reached  it,  at  which  time 
the  company  began  to  disperse.  While  our  backs 
were  turned  on  the  troops,  we  were  fired  on  by  them, 
and  a  number  of  our  men  were  instantly  killed  and 
wounded.  Not  a  gun  was  fired  by  any  person  in  our 
company  on  the  regulars,  to  our  knowledge,  before 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      103 

they  fired  on  us,  and  they  continued  firing  until  we 
had  all'made  our  escape. 

"  Signed  by  each  of  the  above  deponents." 

"  LEXINGTON,  25th  of  April,  1775. 

"  We,  Nathaniel  Parkhurst,  Jonas  Parker,  John  Mun- 
roe,  jun.,  John  Winship,  Solomon  Pierce,  John  Muzzy, 
Abner  Meeds,  John  Bridge,  jun.,  Ebenezer  Bowman, 
William  Munroe  the  3d,  Micah  Hager,  Samuel  Saun- 
derson,  Samuel  Hastings,  and  James  Brown,  of  Lex- 
ington, in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  and  colony  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New  England,  and  all  of  lawful 
age,  do  testify  and  say,  that,  on  the  morning  of  the 
19th  of  April  instant,  about  one  or  two  o'clock,  being 
informed  that  a  number  of  regular  officers  had  been 
riding  up  and  down  the  road  the  evening  and  night 
preceding,  and  that  some  of  the  inhabitants,  as  they 
were  passing,  had  been  insulted  by  the  officers,  and 
stopped  by  them ;  and  being  also  informed  that  the 
regular  troops  were  on  their  march  from  Boston,  in  or- 
der (as  it  was  said)  to  take  the  colony  stores  then  de- 
posited at  Concord,  we  met  on  the  parade  of  our  com- 
pany in  this  town.  After  the  company  had  collected, 
we  were  ordered  by  Captain  Parker  (who  commanded 
us)  to  disperse  for  the  present,  and  to  be  ready  to  at- 
tend the  beat  of  the  drum ;  and  accordingly  the  com- 
pany went  into  houses  near  the  place  of  parade.  We 
further  testify  and  say,  that,  about  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  we  attended  the  beat  of  our  drum,  and  were 


104  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

formed  on  the  parade  ;  we  were  faced  toward  the  reg- 
ulars then  marching  up  to  us,  and  some  of  our  com- 
pany were  coming  to  the  parade  with  their  backs  tow- 
ard the  troops,  and  others,  on  the  parade,  began  to  dis- 
perse, when  the  regulars  fired  on  the  company,  before 
a  gun  was  fired  by  any  of  our  company  on  them. 
They  killed  eight  of  our  company,  and  wounded  sev- 
eral, and  continued  their  fire  until  we  had  all  made  our 
escape.  "  Signed  by  each  of  the  deponents." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  I,  Timothy  Smith,  of  Lexington,  in  the  county  of 
Middlesex,  and  colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New 
England,  being  of  lawful  age,  do  testify  and  declare, 
that,  on  the  morning  of  the  19th  of  April  instant,  being 
on  Lexington  common,  as  a  spectator,  I  saw  a  large 
body  of  regular  troops  marching  up  toward  the  Lex- 
ington company,  then  dispersing,  and  likewise  saw  the 
regular  troops  fire  on  the  Lexington  company,  before 
the  latter  fired  a  gun.  I  immediately  ran,  and  a  volley 
was  discharged  at  me,  which  put  me  in  imminent  dan- 
ger of  losing  my  life.  I  soon  returned  to  the  common, 
and  saw  eight  of  the  Lexington  men  who  were  killed, 
and  lay  bleeding  at  a  considerable  distance  from  each 
other ;  and  several  were  wounded.  And  further  saith 
not.  "TIMOTHY  SMITH." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  We,  Levi  Mead  and  Levi  Harrington,  both  of  Lex- 
ington, in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  and  colony  of  Mas- 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      105 

chusetts  Bay,  in  New  England,  and  of  lawful  age,  do 
testify  and  declare,  that,  on  the  morning  of  the  19th 
of  April,  being  on  Lexington  commons,  as  spectators, 
we  saw  a  large  body  of  regular  troops  marching  up 
toward  the  Lexington  company ;  and  some  of  the  reg- 
ulars, on  horses,  whom  we  took  to  be  officers,  fired  a 
pistol  or  two  on  the  Lexington  company,  which  was 
then  dispersing.  These  were  the  first  guns  that  were 
fired,  and  they  were  immediately  followed  by  several 
volleys  from  the  regulars,  by  which  eight  men  belong- 
ing to  said  company  were  killed,  and  several  wounded. 
"LEVI  HARRINGTON,  LEVI  MEAD." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  25,  1775. 

"  I,  William  Draper,  of  lawful  age,  and  an  inhabitant 
of  Colrain,  in  the  county  of  Hampshire,  and  colony  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,  in  New  England,  do  testify  and 
declare,  that,  being  on  the  parade  of  said  Lexington, 
April  19th  instant,  about  half  an  hour  before  sunrise, 
the  king's  regular  troops  appeared  at  the  meeting-house 
of  Lexington.  Captain  Parker's  company,  who  were 
drawn  up  back  of  said  meeting-house  on  the  parade, 
turned  from  said  troops,  making  their  escape,  by  dis- 
persing. In  the  meantime,  the  regular  troops  made  a 
huzza,  and  ran  toward  Captain  Parker's  company,  who 
were  dispersing ;  and,  immediately  after  the  huzza  was 
made,  the  commanding  officer  of  said  troops  (as  I  took 
him)  gave  the  command  to  the  said  troops  — "Fire! 
fire!  damn  you,  fire!"  — and  immediately  they  fired, 


106  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

before  any  of  Captain  Parker's  company  fired,  I  then 
being  within  three  or  four  rods  of  said  regular  troops. 
And  further  say  not.  "WILLIAM  DRAPER." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

"  I,  Thomas  Fessenden,  of  lawful  age,  testify  and  de- 
clare, that,  being  in  a  pasture  near  the  meeting-house, 
at  said  Lexington,  on  Wednesday  last,  at  about  half  an 
hour  before  sunrise,  I  saw  a  number  of  regular  troops 
pass  speedily  by  said  meeting-house,  on  their  way  tow- 
ard a  company  of  militia  of  said  Lexington,  who  were 
assembled  to  the  number  of  about  one  hundred  in  a 
company,  at  the  distance  of  eighteen  or  twenty  rods 
from  said  meeting-house ;  and  after  they  had  passed 
by  said  meeting-house,  I  saw  three  officers,  on  horse- 
back, advance  to  the  front  of  said  regulars,  when  one 
of  them,  being  within  six  rods  of  the  said  militia,  cried 
out,  "  Disperse,  you  rebels,  immediately  !"  on  which  he 
brandished  his  sword  over  his  head  three  times  :  mean- 
while, the  second  officer,  who  was  about  two  rods  be- 
hind him,  fired  a  pistol,  pointed  at  said  militia,  and  the 
regulars  kept  huzzaing  till  he  had  finished  brandishing 
his  sword ;  and  when  he  had  thus  finished  brandishing 
his  sword,  he  pointed  it  down  toward  said  militia,  and 
immediately  on  which  the  said  regulars  fired  a  volley 
at  the  militia,  and  then  I  ran  off  as  fast  as  I  could, 
while  they  continued  firing  till  I  got  out  of  their  reach. 
I  further  testify,  that,  as  soon  as  ever  the  officer  cried, 
"Disperse,  you  rebels,"  the  said  company  of  militia 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      107 

dispersed  every  way,  as  fast  as  they  could ;  and,  while 
they  were  dispersing,  the  regulars  kept  firing  at  them 
incessantly.  And  further  saith  not. 

"THOMAS  FESSENDEN." 

"LINCOLN,  April  23,  3775. 

"  I,  John  Bateman,  belonging  to  the  fifty-second  regi- 
ment, commanded  by  Colonel  Jones,  on  Wednesday 
morning,  on  the  19th  day  of  April  instant,  was  in  the 
party  marching  to  Concord,  being  at  Lexington,  in  the 
county  of  Middlesex,  being  nigh  the  meeting-house  in 
said  Lexington,  there  was  a  small  party  of  men  gath- 
ered together  at  that  place,  when  our  said  troops 
marched  by ;  and  I  testify  and  declare  that  I  heard  the 
word  of  command  given  to  the  troops  to  fire,  and  some 
of  said  troops  did  fire,  and  I  saw  one  of  said  small 
party  lay  dead  on  the  ground  nigh  said  meeting-house ; 
and  I  testify  that  I  never  heard  any  of  the  inhabitants 
so  much  as  fire  one  gun  on  said  troops. 

"JOHN  BATEMAN." 

"LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

"  We,  John  Hoar,  John  Whithead,  Abraham  Garfield, 
Benjamin  Munroe,  Isaac  Parks,  William  Hosmer,  John 
Adams,  Gregory  Stone,  all  of  Lincoln,  in  the  county 
of  Middlesex,  Massachusetts  Bay,  all  of  lawful  age,  do 
testify  and  say  that,  on  Wednesday  last,  we  were  as- 
sembled at  Concord,  in  the  morning  of  said  day,  in 
consequence  of  information  received  that  a  brigade  of 
regular  troops  were  on  their  march  to  the  said  town 


108  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

of  Concord,  who  had  killed  six  men  at  the  town  of  Lex- 
ington.    About  an  hour  afterward,  we  saw  them  ap- 
proaching, to  the  number,  as  we  apprehended,  of  about 
twelve  hundred,  on  which  we  retreated'  to  a  hill  about 
eighty  rods  back,  and  the  said  troops  then  took  posses- 
sion of  the  hill  where  we  were  first  posted.     Presently 
after  this  wre  saw  the  troops  moving  toward  the  north 
bridge,  about  one  mile  from  the  said  Concord  meeting- 
house.    We  then  immediately  went  before  them  and 
passed  the  bridge  just  before  a  party  of  them,  to  the 
number  of  about  two  hundred,  arrived.     They  there 
left  about  one  half  of  their  two  hundred  at  the  bridge, 
and  proceeded  with  the  rest  toward  Colonel  Barrett's, 
about  two  miles  from  the  said  bridge.     We  then,  see- 
ing several  fires  in  the  town,  thought  the  houses  in 
Concord  were  in  danger,  and  marched  toward  the  said 
bridge ;  and  the  troops  that  were  stationed  there,  ob- 
serving our  approach,  marched  back  over  the  bridge, 
and  then  took  up  some  of  the  planks.     We  then  hast- 
ened our  march  toward  the  bridge,  and,  when  we  had 
got  near  the  bridge,  they  fired  on  our  men — first  three 
guns,  one  after  the  other,  and  then  a  considerable  num- 
ber more  ;  and  then,  and  not  before  (having  orders  from 
our  commanding  officers  not  to  fire  till  we  were  fired 
upon),  we  fired  upon  the  regulars,  and  they  retreated. 
On  their  retreat  through  the  town  of  Lexington  to 
Charlestown,  they  ravaged  and  destroyed  private  prop- 
erty, and  burnt  three  houses,  one  barn,  and  one  shop. 
"  Signed  by  each  of  the  above  deponents." 


SKIRMISHES    AT   LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      109 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

"  We,  Nathan  Barret,  captain ;  Jonathan  Farrar,  Jo- 
seph Butler,  and  Francis  Wheeler,  lieutenants ;  John 
Barret,  ensign ;  John  Brown,  Silas  Walker,  Ephraim 
Melvin,  Nathan  Buttrick,  Stephen  Hosmer,  jun.,  Samu- 
el Barret,  Thomas  Jones,  Joseph  Chandler,  Peter  Wheel- 
er, Nathan  Pierce,  and  Edward  Richardson,  all  of  Con- 
cord, in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  in  the  province  of 
Massachusetts  Bay,  of  lawful  age,  testify  and  declare, 
that,  on  Wednesday,  the  19th  instant,  about  an  hour  after 
sunrise,  we  assembled  on  a  hill  near  the  meeting-house 
in  Concord  aforesaid,  in  consequence  of  an  information 
that  a  number  of  regular  troops  had  killed  six  of  our 
countrymen  at  Lexington,  and  were  on  their  march  to 
said  Concord ;  and,  about  an  hour  afterward,  we  saw 
them  approaching,  to  the  number,  as  we  imagine,  of 
about  twelve  hundred ;  on  which  we  retreated  to  a  hill 
about  eighty  rods  back,  and  the  aforesaid  troops  then 
took  possession  of  a  hill  where  we  were  first  posted. 
Presently  after  this,  we  saw  them  moving  toward  the 
north  bridge,  about  one  mile  from  said  meeting-house  ; 
we  then  immediately  went  before  them,  and  passed  the 
bridge  just  before  a  party  of  them,  to  the  number  of 
about  two  hundred,  arrived.     They  there  left  about 
one  half  of  these  two  hundred  at  the  bridge,  and  pro- 
ceeded with  the  rest  toward  Colonel  Barret's,  about 
two  miles  from  the  said  bridge.     We  then,  seeing  sev- 
eral fires  in  the  town  thought  our  houses  were  in  dan- 
ger, and  immediately  marched  back  toward  said  bridge, 


110  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

.  and  the  troops  who  were  stationed  there,  observing  our 
approach,  marched  back  over  the  bridge,  and  then  took 
up  some  of  the  planks.  We  then  hastened  our  steps 
toward  the  bridge,  and  when  we  had  got  near  the  bridge, 
they  fired  on  our  men — first  three  guns,  one  after  the 
other,  and  then  a  considerable  number  more ;  upon 
which,  and  not  before  (having  orders  from  our  com- 
manding officer  not  to  fire  till  we  were  fired  upon),  we 
fired  upon  the  regulars,  and  they  retreated.  At  Con- 
cord, and  on  their  retreat  through  Lexington,  they  plun- 
dered many  houses,  burnt  three  at  Lexington,  together 
with  a  shop  and  barn,  and  committed  damage,  more  or 
less,  to  almost  every  house  from  Concord  to  Charles- 
town. 

"  Signed  by  the  above  deponents." 

"  We,  Joseph  Butler  and  Ephraim  Melvin,  do  testify 
and  declare,  that,  when  the  regular  troops  fired  upon 
our  people  at  the  north  bridge,  in  Concord,  as  related 
in  the  foregoing  depositions,  they  shot  one,  and  we  be- 
lieve two,  of  our  people,  before  we  fired  a  single  gun 

at  them. 

"JOSEPH  BUTLER,  EPHRAIM  MELVIN. 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775." 

"  CONCORD,  April  23,  1775. 

"  I,  Timothy  Minot,  jun.,  of  Concord,  on  the  19th  day 
of  this  instant,  April,  after  that  I  had  heard  of  the  reg- 
ular troops  firing  upon  Lexington  men,  and  fearing  that 
hostilities  might  be  committed  at  Concord,  thought  it 
my  incumbent  duty  to  secure  my  family.  After  I  had 


SKIRMISHES    AT   LEXINGTON   AND    CONCORD.      Ill 

secured  my  family,  some  time  after  that,  returning  tow- 
ard my  own  dwelling-,  and  finding  that  the  bridge  on 
the  north  part  of  said  Concord  was  guarded  by  regular 
troops,  being  a  spectator  of  what  had  happened  at  said 
bridge,  declare  that  the  regular  troops  stationed  on  said 
bridge,  after  they  saw  the  men  that  were  collected  on 
the  westerly  side  of  said  bridge,  marched  toward  said 
bridge ;  then  the  troops  returned  toward  the  easterly 
side  of  said  bridge,  and  formed  themselves,  as  I  thought, 
for  regular  fight :  after  that  they  fired  one  gun,  then 
two  or  three  more,  before  the  men  that  were  stationed 
on  the  westerly  part  of  said  bridge  fired  upon  them. 

"TIMOTHY  MINOT,  JUN." 

"  LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

"  I,  James  Barret,  of  Concord,  colonel  of  a  regiment 
of  militia,  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  do  testify  and 
say  that,  on  Wednesday  morning  last,  about  daybreak, 
I  was  informed  of  the  approach  of  a  number  of  the 
regular  troops  to  the  town  of  Concord,  where  were  some 
magazines  belonging  to  this  province,  when  there  was 
assembled  some  of  the  militia  of  this  and  the  neigh- 
boring towns,  I  ordered  them  to  march  to  the  north 
bridge  (so  called),  which  they  had  passed  and  were 
taking  up.  I  ordered  said  militia  to  march  to  said 
bridge  and  pass  the  same,  but  not  to  fire  on  the  king's 
troops  unless  they  were  first  fired  upon.  We  advanced 
near  said  bridge,  when  the  said  troops  fired  upon  our 
militia,  and  killed  two  men  dead  on  the  spot,  and 


112  OFFICIAL   PAPERS. 

wounded  several  others,  which  was  the  first  firing  of 
guns  in  the  town  of  Concord.  My  detachment  then 
returned  the  fire,  which  killed  and  wounded  several 

of  the  king's  troops. 

"JAMES  BARRET." 

"LEXINGTON,  April  23,  1775. 

"  We,  Bradbury  Robinson,  Samuel  Spring,  Thaddeus 
Bancroft,  all  of  Concord,  and  James  Adams,  of  Lexing- 
ton, all  in  the  county  of  Middlesex,  all  of  lawful  age, 
do  testify  and  say,  that,  on  Wednesday  morning  last, 
near  ten  of  the  clock,  we  saw  near  one  hundred  of  the 
regular  troops,  being  in  the  town  of  Concord,  at  the 
north  bridge  in  said  town  (so  called)  ;  and  having  passed 
the  same,  they  were  taking  up  said  bridge,  when  about 
three  hundred  of  our  militia  were  advancing  toward 
said  bridge,  in  order  to  pass  said  bridge,  when,  without 
saying  anything  to  us,  they  discharged  a  number  of 
guns  on  us,  which  killed  two  men  dead  on  the  spot, 
and  wounded  several  others ;  when  we  returned  the 
fire  on  them,  which  killed  two  of  them,  and  wounded 
several,  which  was  the  beginning  of  hostilities  in  the 
town  of  Concord. 

"  BRADBURY  ROBINSON,  THADDEUS  BANCROFT, 
"  SAMUEL  SPRING,          JAMES  ADAMS.'' 

"  WORCESTER,  April  26,  1775. 

"  Hannah  Bradish,  of  that  part  of  Cambridge  called 
Menotomy,  and  daughter  of  Timothy  Paine,  of  Worces- 
ter, in  the  county  of  Worcester,  Esq.,  of  lawful  age, 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      113 

testifies  and  says,  that,  about  five  o'clock  on  Wednes- 
day last,  afternoon,  being  in  her  bedchamber,  with  her 
infant  child,  about  eight  days  old,  she  was  surprised 
by  the  firing  of  the  king's  troops  and  our  people,  on 
their  return  from  Concord.  She  being  weak  and  un- 
able to  go  out  of  her  house,  in  order  to  secure  herself 
and  family,  they  all  retired  into  the  kitchen,  in  the  back 
part  of  the  house.  She  soon  found  the  house  surround- 
ed with  the  king's  troops  ;  that  upon  observation  made, 
at  least  seventy  bullets  were  shot  into  the  front  part  of 
the  house  ;  several  bullets  lodged  in  the  kitchen  where 
she  was,  and  one  passed  through  an  easy-chair  she  had 
just  gone  from.  The  door  of  the  front  part  of  the  house 
was  broke  open ;  she  did  not  see  any  soldiers  in  the 
house,  but  supposed,  by  the  noise,  they  were  in  the 
front.  After  the  troops  had  gone  off,  she  missed  the 
following  things,  which,  she  verily  believes,  were  taken 
out  of  the  house  by  the  king's  troops,  viz.,  one  rich  bro- 
cade gown,  called  a  negligee,  one  lutestring  gown,  one 
white  quilt,  one  pair  of  brocade  shoes,  three  shifts,  eight 
white  aprons,  three  caps,  one  case  of  ivory  knives  and 
forks,  and  several  other  small  articles. 

"HANNAH  BRADISH." 

PROVINCE  OF  THE    i  WORCESTER   ss.,  Aprii  26f  1775. 
MASSACHUSETTS  BAY,  J 

"  Mrs.  Hannah  Bradish,  the  above  deponent,  maketh 
oath  before  us,  the  subscribers,  two  of  his  majesty's 
justices  of  the  peace  for  the  county  of  Worcester,  and 
of  the  quorum,  that  the  above  deposition,  according  to. 


114  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

her  best  recollection,  is  the  truth.     Which  deposition 

is  taken  in  perpetuam  ret  memoriam. 

"THOMAS  STEEL, 
"TIMOTHY  PAINE." 

"  CONCOBD,  April  23,  1775. 

"  I,  James  Marr,  of  lawful  age,  testify  and  say,  that, 
in  the  evening  of  the  18th  instant,  I  received  orders 
from  George  Hutchinson,  adjutant  of  the  fourth  regi- 
ment of  the  regular  troops  stationed  at  Boston,  to  pre- 
pare and  march:  to  which  orders  I  attended,  and 
marched  to  Concord,  where  I  was  ordered  by  an  offi- 
cer with  about  one  hundred  men  to  guard  a  certain 
bridge  there.  While  attending  that  service,  a  number 
of  people  came  along,  in  order,  as  I  suppose,  to  cross 
said  bridge,  at  which  time  a  number  of  the  regular 
troops  first  fired  upon  them.  "  JAMES  MARK." 

"MEDFORD,  April  25,  1775. 

"  I,  Edward  Thoroton  Gould,  of  his  majesty's  own 
regiment  of  foot,  being  of  lawful  age,  do  testify  and 
declare,  that,  on  the  evening  of  the  18th  instant,  under 
the  orders  of  General  Gage,  I  embarked  with  the  light 
infantry  and  grenadiers  of  the  line,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Smith,  and  landed  on  the  marshes  of  Cam- 
bridge, from  whence  we  proceeded  to  Lexington.  On 
our  arrival  at  that  place,  we  saw  a  body  of  provincial 
troops,  arrned,  to  the  number  of  about  sixty  or  seventy 
.men.  On  our  approach,  they  dispersed,  and  soon  after 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.       115 

firing  began,  but  which  party  fired  first  I  can  not  ex- 
actly say,  as  our  troops  rushed  on  shouting  and  huzza- 
ing previous  to  the  firing,  which  was  continued  by  our 
troops  so  long  as  any  of  the  provincials  were  to  be 
seen.  From  thence  we  marched  to  Concord.  On  a 
hill,  near  the  entrance  of  the  town,  we  saw  another 
body  of  provincials  assembled :  the  light-infantry  com- 
panies were  ordered  up  the  hill  to  disperse  them ;  on 
our  approach,  they  retreated  toward  Concord.  The 
grenadiers  continued  the  road  under  the  hill  toward 
the  town.  Six  companies  of  light  infantry  were  or- 
dered down  to  take  possession  of  the  bridge  which  the 
provincials  retreated  over ;  the  company  I  commanded 
was  one.  Three  companies  of  the  above  detachment 
went  forward  about  two  miles.  In  the  meantime,  the 
provincial  troops  returned,  to  the  nnmber  of  about  three 
or  four  hundred.  We  drew  up  on  the  Concord  side  of 
the  bridge ;  the  provincials  came  down  upon  us,  upon 
which  we  engaged  and  gave  the  first  fire.  This  was 
the  first  engagement  after  the  one  at  Lexington.  A 
continued  firing  from  both  parties  lasted  through  the 
whole  day.  I  myself  was  wounded  at  the  attack  of 
the  bridge,  and  am  now  treated  with  the  greatest  hu- 
manity, and  taken  all  possible  care  of  by  the  provin- 
cials at  Medford.  "EDWARD  THOROTON  GOULD, 

"Lieut.  King's  Own  Regiment" 

"  PROVINCE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY,  ) 
"  Middlesex  County,  April  25, 1775.    J 

"  Lieutenant  Thoroton  Gould,  aforenamed,  personally 


116  OFFICIAL    PAPERS. 

made  oath  to  the  truth  of  the  foregoing  declaration  by 
him  subscribed,  before  us,  "  THAD.  MASSON, 

"JosiAH  JOHNSON,  SIMON  TUFTS,  Justices  of  the 
peace  for  the  county  aforesaid,  quorum  unus" 

"  PROVINCE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS  BAY,  CHARLESTOWN,  ss. 

"  I,  Nathaniel  Gorham,  notary  and  tabellion  public, 
by  lawful  authority  duly  admitted  and  sworn,  hereby 
certify  to  all  whom  it  may  or  doth  concern,  that  Thad- 
deus  Masson,  Josiah  Johnson,  and  Simon  Tufts,  Esqrs., 
are  three  of  his  majesty's  justices  of  the  peace  (quorum 
unus)  for  the  county  of  Middlesex ;  and  that  full  faith 
and  credit  is  and  ought  to  be  given  to  their  transactions 
as  such,  both  in  court  and  out.  In  witness  whereof,  I 
have  hereunto  affixed  my  name  and  seal,  this  twenty- 
sixth  day  of  April,  Anno  Domini  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  seventy-five. 

" NATHANIEL  GORHAM,  Notary  Public"  (L.  S.) 

(All  the  above  depositions  are  sworn  to  before  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  and  duly  attested  by  notaries  public, 
in  manner  of  the  last  one.) 

"  IN  PROVINCIAL  CONGRESS,  WATERTOWN,  April  26,  1775. 
"To  the  Inhabitants  of  Great  Britain. 

**  FRIENDS  AND  FELLOW-SUBJECTS  :  Hostilities  are 
at  length  commenced  in  this  colony  by  the  troops  under 
the  command  of  General  Gage ;  and  it  being  of  the 
greatest  importance  that  an  early,  true,  and  authentic 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.      117 

account  of  this  inhuman  proceeding,  should  be  known 
to  you,  the  Congress  of  this  colony  have  transmitted 
the  same,  and,  from  want  of  a  session  of  the  Hon.  Con- 
tinental Congress,  think  it  proper  to  address  you  on  the 
alarming  occasion. 

"  By  the  clearest  depositions  relative  to  this  transac- 
tion, it  will  appear  that,  on  the  night  preceding  the  19th 
of  April  instant,  a  body  of  the  king's  troops,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Smith,  were  secretly  landed  at 
Cambridge,  with  an  apparent  design  to  take  or  destroy 
the  military  and  other  stores,  provided  for  the  defence 
of  this  colony,  and  deposited  at  Concord ;  that  some 
inhabitants  of  the  colony,  on  the  night  aforesaid,  while 
travelling  peaceably  on  the  road  between  Boston  and 
Concord,  were  seized  and  greatly  abused  by  armed 
men,  who  appeared  to  be  officers  of  General  Gage's 
army ;  that  the  town  of  Lexington  by  these  means  was 
alarmed,  and  a  company  of  the  inhabitants  mustered  on 
the  occasion  ;  that  the  regular  troops,  on  their  way  to 
Concord,  marched  into  the  said  town  of  Lexington,  and 
the  said  company  on  their  approach  began  to  disperse ; 
that  notwithstanding  this,  the  regulars  rushed  on  with 
great  violence,  and  first  began  hostilities,  by  firing  on 
said  Lexington  company,  whereby  they  killed  eight, 
arid  wounded  several  others ;  that  the  regulars  contin- 
ued their  fire  until  those  of  said  company,  who  were 
neither  killed  nor  wounded,  had  made  their  escape; 
that  Colonel  Smith,  with  the  detachment,  then  marched 
to  Concord,  where  a  number  of  provincials  were  again 


118  OFFICIAL   PAPERS. 

fired  on  by  the  troops,  two  of  them  killed  and  several 
wounded,  before  the  provincials  fired  on  them ;  and  that 
these  hostile  measures  of  the  troops  produced  an  en- 
gagement that  lasted  through  the  day,  in  which  many 
of  the  provincials  and  more  of  the  regular  troops  were 
killed  and  wounded. 

"  To  give  a  particular  account  of  the  ravages  of  the 
troops,  as  they  retreated  from  Concord  to  Charlestown, 
would  be  very  difficult,  if  not  impracticable.  Let  it  suf- 
fice to  say,  that  a  great  number  of  the  houses  on  the 
road  were  plundered,  and  rendered  unfit  for  use  ;  sev- 
eral were  burnt ;  women  in  childbed  were  driven,  by 
the  soldiery,  naked  into  the  streets ;  old  men  peaceably 
in  their  houses  were  shot  dead  ;  and  such  scenes  exhib- 
ited as  would  disgrace  the  annals  of  the  most  uncivil- 
ized nations. 

"  These,  brethren,  are  marks  of  ministerial  vengeance 
against  this  colony,  for  refusing,  with  her  sister-colonies, 
a  submission  to  slavery ;  but  they  have  not  yet  de- 
tached us  from  our  royal  sovereign.  We  profess  to 
be  his  loyal  and  dutiful  subjects,  and  so  hardly  dealt 
with  as  we  have  been,  are  still  ready,  with  our  lives 
and  fortunes,  to  defend  his  person,  family,  crown,  and 
dignity.  Nevertheless,  to  the  persecution  and  tyranny 
of  his  cruel  ministry  we  will  not  tamely  submit :  ap- 
pealing to  Heaven  for  the  justice  of  our  cause,  we  de- 
termine to'  die  or  be  free. 

"  We  can  not  think  that  the  honor,  wisdom,  and  valor 
of  Britons  will  suffer  them  to  be  long  inactive  specta- 


SKIRMISHES    AT    LEXINGTON    AND    CONCORD.        119 

tors  of  measures  in  which  they  themselves  are  so  deep- 
ly interested — measures  pursued  in  opposition  to  the 
solemn  protests  of  many  noble  lords,  and  expressed 
sense  of  conspicuous  commoners,  whose  knowledge 
and  virtue  have  long  characterized  them  as  some  of 
the  greatest  men  in  the  nation — measures  executing 
contrary  to  the  interest,  petitions,  and  resolves  of  many 
large,  respectable,  and  opulent  counties,  cities,  and  bor- 
oughs in  Great  Britain — measures  highly  incompatible 
with  justice,  but  still  pursued  with  a  specious  pretence 
of  easing  the  nation  of  its  burdens  —  measures  which, 
if  successful,  must  end  in  the  ruin  and  slavery  of  Brit- 
ain, as  well  as  the  persecuted  American  colonies. 

"We  sincerely  hope  that  the  great  Sovereign  of  the 
universe,  who  hath  so  often  appeared  for  the  English 
nation,  will  support  you  in  every  rational  and  rnanly 
exertion,  with  these  colonies,  for  saving  it  from  ruin ; 
and  that,  in  a  constitutional  connection  with  the  mother- 
country,  we  shall  soon  be  altogether  a  free  and  happy 
people. 

"  Per  order : 

"  JOSEPH  WARREN,  President,  P.  T." 


120  LIST    OF    KILLED    AND    WOUNDED 


•••\  f  -A  :  fci^gg 

hWi    V         ?y 

NAMES  OF  THE  KILLED  AND  WOUNDED  AT  LEX- 
INGTON AND  CONCORD. 

THE  following  list  of  the  names  of  those  first  mar- 
tyrs in  the  cause  of  American  liberty  is  given  in  the 
eighteenth  volume  of  the  "  Massachusetts  Historical 
Collections :" — \ 


LEXINGTON.  —  Killelk  Jonas  Parker,  Robert  Monroe,  Samuel 
Hadley,  Jonathan  Hampton,  jr.,  Isaac  Muzzy,  Caleb  Harrington, 
John  Brown,  Jedediah  M»re,  John  Raymond,  Nathaniel  Wyman, 
10.  Wounded :  Jolm  RoblVis,  Solomon  Pierce,  John  Tidd,  Joseph 
Comee,  Ebenezer  Monroe,  jr>Thomas  Winship,  Nathaniel  Farmer, 
Prince  Estabrook,  Jedediah  Monroe,  Francis  Brown,  10. 

CONCORD. —  Wounded :  Charles  Miles,  Nathan  Barrett,  Abel  Pres- 
cott,  jr.,  Jonas  Brown,  George  Meriot,  5. 

CAMBRIDGE.  —  Killed:  William  Marcy,  Moses  Richardson,  John 
Hicks,  Jason  Russell,  Jabez  Wyman,  Jason  Winship,  6.  Wounded  : 
Samuel  Whittemore,  1.  Missing :  Samuel  Frost,  Seth  Russell,  2. 

NEEDHAM.— -  Killed:  John  Bacon,  Elisha  Mills,  Amos  Mills,  Na- 
thaniel Chamberlain,  Jonathan  Parker,  5.  Wounded:  Eleazer  Kings- 
bury,  Tolman,  2. 

SUDBURY. — Killed :  Josiah  Haynes,  Asahel  Reed,  2.  Wounded  : 
Joshua  Haynes,  jr.,  1. 

ACTON. — Killed:  Isaac  Davis,  Abner  Hosmer,  James  Hay  ward, 
3.  Wounded :  Luther  Blanchard,  1. 

BEDFORD. — Killed:  Jonathan  Wilson,  1.  Wounded:  Job  Lane,  1. 

WOBURN.  —  Killed :  Daniel  Thompson,  Asahel  Porter,  2.  Wound- 
ed :  George  Reed,  Jacob  Bacon, Johnson,  3. 


AT  LEXINGTON  AND  CONCORD.         121 

MEDFORD.  —  Killed:  Henry  Putnam,  William  Polly,  2. 

CHARLESTOWN. — Killed:  James  Miller,  Edward  Barber,  2. 

WATER-TOWN.  —  Killed:  Joseph  Coolidge,  1. 

FRAMINGHAM. —  Wounded:  Daniel  Heminway,  1. 

DEDHAM. — Killed:  Elias  Haven,  1.  Wounded:  Israel  Everett,  1. 

STOWE.  —  Wounded:  Daniel  Conant,  1. 

ROXBURY. — Missing  :  Elijah  Seaver,  1. 

BROOKLINE. — Killed:  Isaac  Gardner,  1. 

BILLERICA. —  Wounded:  John  Nichols,  Timothy  Blanchard,  2. 

CHELMSFORD. —  Wounded :  Aaron  Chamberlain,  Oliver  Barren,  2. 

SALEM. — Killed:  Benjamin  Pierce,  1. 

NEWTON. —  Wounded:  Noah  Wiswell,  1. 

DANVERS. — Killed:  Henry  Jacobs,  Samuel  Cook,  Ebenezer 
Goldthwait,  George  Soutlwick,  Benjamin  Deland,  Jotham  Webb, 
Perley  Putnam,  7.  Wounded :  Nathan  Putnam,  Dennis  Wallace,  2. 
Missing :  Joseph  Bell,  1. 

BEVERLY. —  Killed:  Reuben  Kerryme,  1.  Wounded:  Nathaniel 
Cleves,  Samuel  Woodbury,  William  Dodge,  3. 

LYNN. — Killed :  Abednego  Ramsdell,  Daniel  Townsend,  William 
Flint,  Thomas  Hadley,  4.  Wounded :  Joshua  Felt,  Timothy  Mon- 
roe, 2.  Missing:  Josiah  Breed,  1. 

TOTAL  :  Killed,  49 ;  Wounded,  39  ;  Missing,  5  =  93. 


122  REVOLUTIONARY   ARTICLES 


A  CATALOGUE 

OF 

REVOLUTIONARY    ARTICLES 

IK 

THE    POUGHKEEPSIE    MUSEUM. 


THE  following  are  among  the  Collection  of  Curiosi- 
ties in  the  Museum  at  Poughkeepsie :  — 

ORIGINAL   MANUSCRIPTS. 

Letter  of  Washington  to  Governor  Clinton,  acquainting  him 
of  a  design  of  the  British  to  seize  his  person  while  residing 
at  Poughkeepsie,  and  convey  him  to  New  York.  Dated  at 
Dobbs's  Ferry,  1780. 

Letter  of  "Washington  to  Brigadier-General  Whiten  on  the 
subject  of  the  removal  of  the  troops  from  Trenton  to  Philadel- 
phia. Dated  Plumpton  Plains,  New  Jersey,  1777. 

Letter  of  Washington  on  the  subject  of  promotions  in  the 
army.  Dated  1779. 

Note  of  invitation  from  Washington  to  Dr.  John  Thomas  to 
dinner.  Dr.  Thomas  was  surgeon  of  the  Massachusetts  line. 
Dated  headquarters,  Newburgh,  1780. 


IN    THE    POUGHKEEPSIE    MUSEUM.  123 

Soldiers'  discharge,  signed  by  Washington,  1782. 

Letter  of  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  on  the  subject  of  fortify- 
ing the  North  river.  Written  to  Governor  Clinton  in  1778. 

Letter  of  the  Baron  Steuben  to  Governor  Clinton  on  the 
good  appearance  of  the  New  York  line  of  the  army.  Dated 
New  Windsor,  1780. 

Letter  of  Lord  Stirling  to  Governor  Clinton  on  the  discharge 
of  the  command  of  Major  Wessenfells.  Dated  Albany,  1782. 

Letter  of  Clinton  in  reply. 

Resolution  drawn  up  in  Congress,  and  signed  by  John  Han- 
cock, requesting  the  state  of  New  York  to  erect  a  monument, 
at  continental  expense,  to  the  memory  of  Brigadier-General 
Herkimer,  killed  on  the  Mohawk  in  1777.  Dated  in  Congress, 
1777. 

Letter  of  Captain  Abraham  Schenck,  of  Fishkill,  containing 
an  order  for  old  linen  rags,  for  lint,  for  the  surgeon  of  his  com- 
mand. Dated  near  Croton,  1776. 

Letter  of  General  Heath  relating  to  beacons  in  the  high- 
lands. Dated  Robintson's  House,  1780. 

Letter  of  General  Heath  on  the  condition  of  the  prisoners 
confined  in  the  Provost  prison,  at  West  Point.  Dated  High- 
lands, 1780. 

Letter  of  Captain  Nathaniel  Toms,  describing  a  chase  after 
the  British  over  the  Schuylkill  in  1777. 

Journal  of  Lemuel  Lyon,  of  Woodstock,  Yermont,  who 
served  in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  in  the  expedition  against 
Ticonderoga,  commanded  by  General  Abercrombie.  The  jour- 
nal commences  on  the  5th  of  April,  1758,  and  closes  on  the 
16th  of  November,  1759. 


124  REVOLUTIONARY    ARTICLES 

Journal  of  Samuel  Haws,  one  of  the  minute-men  called  out 
on  the  day  of  the  battle  of  Lexington :  commencing  April  19, 
1775,  and  ending  in  January,  1776. 

Three  original  letters  of  "Washington  to  Colonel  Marinus 
Willet,  relating  to  a  secret  expedition  against  Oswego  in  1782. 
Dated  at  Newburgh  headquarters,  1782. 

Letter  of  Joshua  H.  Smith,  the  person  who  conducted  Andre" 
toward  the  British  lines.  Directed  from  Goshen  jail  to  Gov- 
ernor Clinton,  complaining  of  the  state  of  his  health  and  the 
closeness  of  his  confinement.  Dated  1780. 

Letter  of  Ezekiel  Hyatt,  of  Crompond,  Westchester  county, 
to  James  Jackson,  Esq.,  of  Fishkill,  in  Dutchess  county,  in- 
forming him  that  Husson,  a  notorious  cowboy  and  freebooter, 
had  gone  up  to  steal  his  horses,  and  was  to  have  a  hundred 
guineas  if  he  got  them.  Dated  Crompond,  1777. 

Letter  of  Lieutenant  Lawrence  on  the  subject  of  the  depart- 
ure of  the  British  fleet  from  the  harbor  of  Newport.  Dated 
Reading,  1780. 

Letter  by  the  direction  of  "Washington to  Abraham  Schenck 
and  others,  of  Fishkill,  to  solicit  shirts  of  the  inhabitants  of 
their  precinct  for  the  soldiers  of  the  army,  many  of  whom  were 
utterly  destitute  of  that  article.  Dated  Kingston,  1780. 

Letter  of  Samuel  Barker,  while  confined  in  the  Provost 
prison,  New  York,  to  his  wife  in  Westchester  county.  Dated 
Provost  Prison,  1777. 

MISCELLANEOUS  ARTICLES. 

Lock  of  "Washington's  hair — an  unquestionable  relic — de- 
rived from  the  late  Judge  Thompson,  of  the  supreme  court  of 


1M    THE    POUGHKEEPSIE    MUSEUM.  125 

the  United  States.     Presented  by  his  recent  widow,  the  pres- 
ent Mrs.  Lansing,  of  Poughkeepsie. 

Fragments  of  the  first  coffin  of  Washington.  Presented  by 
Lewis  Grube,  Esq.,  artist,  Poughkeepsie. 

One  of  the  points  of  the  chevaux-de-frieze  placed  in  the  Hud- 
son river,  near  New  Windsor,  in  1780,  to  prevent  the  passage 
of  the  British  ships.  It  was  raised  accidentally  by  the  anchor 
of  a  sloop  commanded  by  Captain  Abraham  Elting,  in  New 
Paltiz,  Ulster  county,  in  1836.  It  is  pointed  with  iron,  and 
weighs  some  hundreds  of  pounds. 

Wooden  camp  candlestick,  used  in  General  Smallwood's  bri- 
gade while  encamped  at  Fishkill,  in  Dutchess  county,  in  the 
Revolution.  From  Jackson  Diddle,  Esq.,  Fishkill. 

Homespun  linen  rifle-shirt,  worn  by  Captain  Abraham  Dur- 
yea  at  the  battle  of  Long  Island.  From  Charles  Robinson, 
Esq.,  Fishkill. 

Sheet  of  stamp-parchment,  containing  the  stamps  and  duties 
of  the  stamp-act. 

Sword  of  Captain  Archibald  Campbell,  killed  at  the  skir- 
mish at  Ward's  house,  in  Weschester  county,  in  1776.  Cap- 
tain Campbell  was  the  commanding  officer  of  the  British  party. 
From  his  grandson,  Captain  Archibald  Campbell,  of  Pawlings, 
Dutchess  county. 

Sword  of  one  of  Lee's  legion,  of  Virginia.  It  has  inscribed, 
on  one  side  of  the  blade,  "  Victory  or  Death !" — on  the  oppo- 
site side,  "  Grenadiers  of  Virginia." 

Tooth  of  Miss  Jane  M'Crea,  found  lying  in  her  coffin  when 
her  remains  were  disinterred  and  removed  to  Fort  Edward  in 
1824,  by  Mr.  George  Barker,  of  Sandy  Hill,  and  presented  by 


126  REVOLUTIONARY    ARTICLES 

him  to  the  late  Captain  Matthew  Danvers,  of  Sandy  Hill,  and 
to  the  collection  by  his  widow,  Mrs.  Mary  Danvers,  of  Pough- 
keepsie. 

Iron-pipe  tomahawk,  found  on  the  battle-field  of  Saratoga. 
From  Van  Wyck  Brinkerhoff,  Esq.,  of  Fishkill. 

Cannon-rammer,  taken  with  Burgoyne  at  Saratoga.  Pur- 
chased, with  a  lot  of  other  "lumber"  (sold  at  "West  Point  by 
order  of  the  government,  after  the  Revolution),  by  Joseph 
Jackson,  Esq.,  and  others,  of  Fishkill.  From  Van  Wyck  Brin- 
kerhoff, Esq.,  of  Fishkill.' 

Knapsack  of  Captain  David  Uhl,  a  captain  of  militia  in  the 
Revolution,  and  worn  by  him  when  he  joined  his  regiment  at 
Harlem,  in  1776.  It  is  made  of  homespun  linen.  From  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Henry  Abell,  of  Union  Vale,  Dutchess  county. 

Hessian  camp-kettle,  dug  up  on  the  battle-field  of  Benning- 
ton.  By  Mr.  Charles  Hoag,  of  Dover,  Dutchess  county. 

Iron  spur,  found  on  the  battle-field  of  the  Cowpens.  It  is 
much  rusted,  and  is  believed  to  have  belonged  to  one  of  Tarle- 
ton's  men.  From  B.  J.  Lossing,  Esq.,  of  Poughkeepsie. 

United  States  musket,  found  on  the  line  of  the  retreat  of 
the  Americans  from  the  battle-ground  at  Hubbardton,  Ver- 
mont. It  has  the  date  of  1774  on  the  breech.  From  B.  J. 
Lossing,  Esq. 

Collection  of  relics  from  all  the  battle-fields  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. From  B.  J.  Lossing,  Esq. 

Cocked  hat,  worn  by  Lemuel  Lyon  on  board  the  tea-ship  in 
Boston  harbor.  The  wearer  was  the  writer  of  the  first  Jour- 
nal in  this  volume.  From  his  relative,  Mr.  J.  Colby,  of  New 
York  city. 


IN    THE    POUGHKEEPSIE    MUSEUM.  127 

Surgical  instruments  of  Dr.  John  Thomas,  a  regimental  sur- 
geon in  the  Revolution.  They  were  used  in  several  of  the 
principal  battles  of  the  war.  From  his  son,  Mr.  Thomas, 
of  Poughkeepsie. 

Original  portrait  of  Dr.  John  Thomas. 

Broken  United  States  bayonet,  found  on  the  battle-ground 
of  Guilford  Courthouse,  North  Carolina.  By  Mr.  Charles  Ney, 
of  Amenia,  Dutchess  county. 

Bayonet  of  John  Woodin,  a  continental  soldier.  The  point 
of  this  instrument  was  broken  off  in  the  wall  of  the  fort  at 
Stony  Point,  when  in  the  body  of  a  British  soldier.  Presented 
by  a  relative. 

A  Spanish  dollar,  taken  from  the  cavity  of  the  hip-bone  of  a 
skeleton  dug  up  at  Bemis's  heights,  Saratoga,  in  1841.  With 
it  were  five  other  dollars  and  an  English  guinea,  and  also  a 
fragment  of  leather,  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  a  purse  or 
pocket-book.  From  Mrs.  John  Wing,  of  Washington,  Dutch- 
ess  county. 

English  musket,  taken  in  a  skirmish  from  a  foraging-party 
of  the  British  in  Westchester  county,  in  the  Revolution,  by 
Captain  Abraham  Meriot,  of  Newcastle,  Westchester  county, 
commander  of  a  party  of  American  militia.  From  Mr.  John 
Townsend,  of  Poughkeepsie. 

Tory  musket,  hidden  during  the  whole  period  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, in  a  hollow  tree,  in  Dover,  Dutchess  county,  to  prevent 
its  being  seized  by  the  committee-men  and  used  against  the 
king. 

English  musket,  brought  off  from  the  battle-field  of  White 
Plains  by  Colonel  Abraham  Humphrey,  of  Smallwood's  bri- 
gade. Presented  by  the  late  Colonel  Humphrey  Cornell,  of 
Beekman,  Dutchess  county. 


128  REVOLUTIONARY    ARTICLES. 

Fragments  of  human  bones  from  the  battle-field  of  Red  Bank. 
From  B.  J.  Lossing,  Esq.,  of  Poughkeepsie. 

Piece  of  one  of  the  palmetto-logs  of  old  Fort  Moultrie,  in 
Charleston  harbor.  From  B.  J.  Lossing,  Esq. 

Horn  of  Lieutenant  Charles  Wallace,  of  the  1st  Royal  High- 
land regiment,  curiously  engraved  with  the  names  and  dis- 
tances of  all  the  fortified  posts  from  Quebec  to  Albany,  together 
with  the  name  and  rank  of  the  wearer.  It  was  obtained  from 
an  Indian  after,  the  battle  of  Saratoga. 

Metal  button,  ploughed  up  on  Quaker  hill,  Dutchess  county, 
where  a  division  of  the  American  army  encamped  in  the  Revo- 
lution. It  has  the  letters  "  U.  S.  A."  raised  on  the  surface. 
A  number  of  other  articles  belonging  to  the  camp  have  been 
found  in  the  neighborhood.  A  long  line  of  the  stone  fireplaces 
of  the  soldiers  still  remain. 

Spontoon  of  Lieutenant  Alfred  Van  "Wyck,  of  Fishkill, 
Dutchess  county,  used  in  hunting  the  cowboys  in  Fishkill 
mountain,  in  the  Revolution.  By  his  son,  Theodorus  Van 
Wjrck,  Esq.,  of  Fishkill  Hook,  who  remembers  to  have  been 
shown,  within  the  last  forty  years,  by  an  .individual  then  living, 
the  bones  of  a  "  skinner,"  or  cowboy,  still  lying  unburied  in  a 
defile  of  the  mountains. 

ICF  Also,  a  large  collection  of  other  curiosities. 


THE   END. 


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